CBI chief mum on Headley, Ishrat issue

CBI director Anil Sinha on Tuesday refused to speak much when asked about David Coleman Headley’s testimony in the 26/11 trial

CBI director Anil Sinha on Tuesday refused to speak much when asked about David Coleman Headley’s testimony in the 26/11 trial — where he had said Ishrat Jahan was Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative.

“The matter is sub judice. We have already submitted a chargesheet in the case,” Sinha said. He added being the CBI director, it would not be apt for him to comment.

CBI director Anil Sinha inaugurated the new CBI office in BKC on Tuesday. (Kunal Patil/HT photo)

Earlier, deposing before a Mumbai court, Headley claimed Ishrat, a Mumbra resident who died in an encounter with the Ahmedabad crime branch in June 2004, was a member of LeT’s women’s wing.

Headley said “Zaki Saheb” (LeT’s operational commander Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi) had told him about a botched-up operation involving Muzammil Butt. “It was a shootout with police in some picket, and a female member had died in it, along with others,” Headley said, adding, “I do not remember the name of the place.”

He said even though Lakhvi did not elaborate about the botched-up operation, Muzammil Butt told him about it later.

When special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam asked him to name the girl, Headley replied saying he did not remember.

But, when Nikam suggested three names — Noorjehan Begum, Ishrat Jahan and Mumtaj Begum — the 56-year-old said, “I think it was the second one, Ishrat Jahan.”

New cybercrime wing in Mumbai?

CBI director Anil Sinha said the agency is contemplating a cybercrime investigation wing in Mumbai, to tackle rising cases in the city.

Sinha was speaking after inaugurating the new CBI office in BKC (above), built to facilitate interaction with complainants and informants.