Terror plot puts Mumbai-Delhi police rivalry in focus

The Union home ministry is likely to transfer the case of a terror module busted by the Special Cell of Delhi police to the National Investigation Agency NIA owing to its tussle with the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad ATS The two agencies are at loggerheads over the Special Cell not keeping ATS in the loop about Dharavi resident Jan Mohammed Shaikhrsquos arrest Over the weekend the ATS arrested two more people in connection with the case but did not hand them over to the Special CellThe ATS registered a fresh case citing noncooperation from the Special Cell The case has been registered under Section 18 of the UAPA While of the accused Zakir Hussain Shaikh was picked up from Jogeshwari and another Rizwan lbrahim Momin was picked up from MumbraTerror suspect Jan Mohammed Shaikh alias Sameer KaliyaAccording to the ATS Momin allegedly destroyed a cellphone that had crucial information ldquoDuring custodial interrogation it was revealed that he was receiving instructions from his handlers located in a foreign country During the search of his house certain incriminating documents were found Shaikhrsquos phone was broken and thrown into a drain near his residence The broken pieces were recovered on Sundayrdquo an ATS press release claimedThe ATS asked for only two daysrsquo custody for Shaikh who was arrested on Saturday while Momin arrested on Sunday was remanded to one days police custody Both were sent to judicial custody on Monday While Shaikh was interrogated for two days Momin was questioned for a few hoursLinked terror module caseldquoWe donrsquot know what Delhi Special Cellrsquos case is as they are not sharing the FIR with us We will seek further custody when requiredrdquo a senior ATS officer said After the arrested a special meeting was organised at the Delhi police headquarters over the terror module busted by the Special Cell The heads of 11 state ATSes including Maharashtrarsquos attended the meetJanrsquos house at Social Nagar Dharavi on Wednesday PicShadab KhanAccording to sources in the ATS Shaikh lives with his wife in Behram Bagh Jogeshwari and drives a rickshaw According to Mumbai police sources he works for Dawood Ibrahimrsquos gang and three extortion cases were registered against him by the AntiExtortion Cell in 2001 2007 and 2015According to the ATS he was in touch with someone named Anthony who resides in a country neighbouring India The name is supposed to be a codename and Shaikhrsquos is supposed to be lsquochacharsquo He used to work as a recruiter on Anthonyrsquos instructions and look for unemployed people Jan who was arrested by Delhi Police was also in contact with Shaikh When Jan was called to Delhi he got 15 lakh through hawala of which he gave 25000 to ShaikhAfter hearing of Janrsquos arrest Shaikh allegedly contacted Momin and asked him to delete his mobilersquos data They met at Mominrsquos Mumbra house where he broke Shaikhrsquos mobile and threw it in the drainMomin and his wife are teachers who take private classes They used to reside in Bandra and took up residence in a colony named Avon Noori Residency The colonyrsquos residents said that they do not know anything about the couple ldquoWe donrsquot know when they came to live hererdquo a resident said Another resident of the neighbourhood said ldquoPolice had been visiting in plain clothes for three days Then we came to know that this couple lives hererdquoAn ATS source said ldquoWhen Shaikh visited Momin a few days ago he spoke to Anthony using his mobile After Janrsquos arrest Shaikh wanted to flee Which is why he left his Behram Bagh with his passport passbook and other identification documentsrdquo the source added6No of men arrested by the Special Cell in its case