Arrested LeT operatives could be Pakistanis

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) suspect that the two alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives, arrested from Thane on November 15 for allegedly plotting to park oil-laden tankers inside four oil refineries, might be of Pakistani origin.

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) suspect that the two alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives, arrested from Thane on November 15 for allegedly plotting to park oil-laden tankers inside four oil refineries, might be of Pakistani origin.

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Initially, though, ATS claimed that both the accused are natives of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir, public prosecutor TN Munganti told the court that investigations point out that the accused might be Pakistanis.

“They are misleading the investigators and not revealing anything. There is no development in the investigation,” Mudiganti told the court.

Oil tanker drivers – Mohammed Shareif Makhandeep Thakar, 33, and Mohammed Issac Mohammed Rashid Kumlakh, 29 – were arrested on November 15 for plotting to blow up their ‘targets’.

Mudiganti told the court that ATS has to find out if there were any other people along with the two accused. Mudiganti told the court that they want to trace the truck owners since the accused were only drivers. Munganti contended that the ATS have not found the original driving license and the photocopy recovered by the ATS is not very clear.

The court extended police custody of Thakar and Kumlakh till December 7.