In a shocking move, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist team has sent just two police officers to bring two hardcore Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorists Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin from Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai as part of the investigation into the Mumbai attacks case.
Arrested in Uttar Pradesh, Ansari is the main accused in the Rampur Central Reserve Police Force camp attack case while his accomplice Sabahuddin is said to have raised Rs 10 lakh (Rs 1 million) through hawala channels to fund the Mumbai attacks.
Even as a local court in Rampur allowed Ansari's remand to the Mumbai police on Friday afternoon, he could not be taken to Mumbai. The Mumbai police inspector and the sole accompanying constable eventually urged the court to let Ansari remain lodged in the Rampur jail -- at least 300 km from Lucknow-- until they were in a position to escort him.
"The two-member team comprising an inspector and a constable were also detailed to seek remand of Sabahuddin, who was lodged in a local prison in Lucknow. But it was practically not feasible for them to take the risk of either carting Ansari to Lucknow or escorting Sabauddin to Barielly," UP Additional Director General of Police and Special Task Force chief Brij Lal told rediff.com
Asked whether the UP police was required to provide them armed escort, he said, "Sure enough we will extend whatever assistance they want, but all that we can do is to escort them up to the embarkation airport, but it would certainly not be a wise proposition to allow their movement between Lucknow and Barielly."
"The Mumbai police must send two larger teams," Lal said, "so that one could carry Ansari from Rampur to Delhi from where they could fly to Mumbai, while the other could escort Sabauddin from Lucknow."
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