Pune blast accused autopsy report questions cop version

Raising doubts on Maharashtra police investigation alleging Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative Qateel Siddiqui being strangled by two fellow inmates in Pune’s Yervada jail, his postmortem report states there were no internal injuries on Qateel’s neck. Rajesh Ahuja reports.

Raising doubts on Maharashtra police investigation alleging Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative Qateel Siddiqui being strangled by two fellow inmates in Pune’s Yervada jail, his postmortem report states there were no internal injuries on Qateel’s neck.

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Qateel’s wife Fatima had cried conspiracy and submitted the postmortem report to the Bombay high court demanding a high-level inquiry. Qateel was in judicial custody when two fellow inmates — Alok Bhalerao and Sharad Mohol — allegedly killed him on June 8 last year in retaliation of him trying to bomb Pune’s Dagdu Seth Ganesh temple.

According to Qateel’s postmortem report, his neck had extensive ligature marks as he was strangulated with bermuda strings. But Qateel’s mouth, tongue, pharynx, larynx and vocal cords, neck tissues or trachea had no injury on them. There was no sign of resistance as well.

Fatima’s petition also argues that doctors found alcohol in Qateel’s viscera, questioning the possibility of consuming alcohol in a high-security egg cell.

The postmortem report also states Qateel was killed four to six hours after his last meal. His time of death was shown to be around 9.40 am, though morning meals are served only at 10 am. “Timing of meal and death contradicts rules and regulations of prison,” says the petition.

After his arrest by Delhi police on November 11, 2011, Qateel told interrogators that he and Yasin Bhatkal had gone to Pune to plant bombs at German Bakery and Dagdu Seth Ganesh temple. Yasin managed to leave the bomb at the German Bakery but Qateel could not complete the job.

Qateel’s statement raised doubts on the chargesheet filed by Maharashtra ATS that said Bhatkal and a Beed native Himayat Baig had gone to Pune for the blast.

Baig was later held guilty and awarded death sentence in the case. Now Bhatkal, after his arrest last month, has also claimed Baig was not involved in the blasts.