Mumbai police launch '26/11 Kasab aani Mi' book

MUMBAI: Retired police officer Ramesh Mahale launched the book titled ‘26/11 Kasab aani Mi’ on Sunday evening. The book was launched in the presence of Datta Padsalgikar, Director General of Police, Maharashtra at the Mumbai Press Club. According to Mahale, the book provides detailed account of the attacks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, the perseverance of the police officers and the conversation between terrorist Kasab and the investigating officer. The book is written in Marathi and published by Menaka publication. Ramesh Mahale, the retired police officer said, “The idea of writing this book emerged after the launch of The Siege: The Attack on the Taj which was published on November 25, 2014 questioned the job done by the Mumbai police with respect to the 26/11 massacre. Since I was not happy about the way the police department has been projected in the book. Several books have been written on 26/11 which have not given factual details of the events, the investigation process and how the police officers have worked by going to the United States of America to investigate the matter. For me, personally 26/11 is a day in history which can never be forgotten.” Speaking about his experience in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, Deven Bharti, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) said, “Mahale is a man of few words. He would never reveal details of the investigation to anyone. On the 2nd day of the attacks, a meting of senior rank officials was convened. Everybody was of the opinion that the only officer who could have investigated the case was Mahale. The senior rank officials including me, always knew that once a case was given to Mahale, he knew how to get its work done. We had not slept for three nights post the terrorist attack. Mahale took great efforts to prepare the chargesheet and dossiers which were sent to Pakistan.” Datta Padsalgikar, DGP, Maharashtra said, “It was a difficult case. Nobody else except Mahale could have done justice to this case. The terrorists had initially given Hindu identities which had to be established to prove that the handlers were from Pakistan. There was a point in time when Kasab finally gave in and told Mahale, “Aap jeet gaye, main haar gaya.” This was the victory for Mahale, the Mumbai police and state police.”