CBI, Mumbai cops argue over Sheikh ‘arrest’

The CBI denied Mumbai Police’s claim on the detention of Rahil Ataur-Rehman Sheikh in London by Interpol, reports Abhishek Sharan.

The CBI on Wednesday denied Mumbai Police’s claim on the detention of Rahil Ataur-Rehman Sheikh in London by Interpol. Sheikh, a software engineer, is an absconding accused in the Mumbai July 11, 2006, serial train blasts.

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CBI’s spokesperson Harsh Bhal, when asked about the confusion on this, told HT: “We got the confirmation from Interpol on Wednesday afternoon that the man, Rahil Sheikh, has not been detained in London.”

HT on Tuesday had reported, quoting CBI’s press information officer RK Gaur, that the agency “had got no confirmation from Interpol” about the arrest.

When asked about the Mumbai Police’s claim on this, Bhal said: “That’s their claim, speak to them.”

Confirming Sheikh’s alleged detention, Mumbai Police’s Additional Commissioner of Police Deven Bharti had said: “We have information he (Rahil Sheikh) has been detained. It will take some time to complete the extradition process.”

Meanwhile, given Mumbai Police’s version on Sheikh in the face of CBI’s flat denial today, it appears to be a case of jumping the gun: Mumbai Police officials now say Sheikh has only been “located” and not “detained” — as they had earlier claimed.

Bharti told HT: “I do not want to comment about what the CBI is saying. But fact is we got information that Rahil Sheikh has been located in the UK and we believe he will soon get detained and extradited, though this process might take time.”

Sheikh is the brother of arrested accused and alleged mastermind Faisal Sheikh and is accused by the Maharashtra ATS of channeling funds through hawala to his brother for the attack.