Bengaluru, Aug. 13: The main accused in the funding of Naxals by Pakistans Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Altaf alias Rakesh, had been involved in extortion and abduction cases in Bengaluru and Mulki in Dakshina Kannada. Before fleeing to Dubai, Altaf, a key aide of notorious Pakistan based gangster Chhota Shakeel, was arrested at least twice by the Bengaluru police. City police commissioner Shankar M. Bidari said on Friday that procedures are in place to issue a red corner notice against Altaf, a native of Dakshina Kannada district.
The ISI-Maoist link was cracked by Hyderabad and Bengaluru police with the assistance of central agencies. While Hyderabad police arrested four alleged Maoist leaders Sridhar Pasham, Kovi Sharat Chandra, Darshanam Pradeep Kumar and Gaddam Pavan Kumar, the CCB sleuths caught up with Altafs alleged associates Vinay Kumar and Devaiah. Mr Bidari claimed that Vinay Kumar and Devaiah did establish contacts with Maoist leaders in other states.
Several others are involved in the case. We need to investigate who the other Maoist leaders are. Preliminary investigations have revealed information about a clear plot by ISI to fund Maoists to commit terrorist and subversive acts in India, Mr Bidari said.
According to CCB sleuths, the ISI has engaged underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim to fund Maoist leaders to carry out terror acts. Dawood in turn assigned his close accomplice Chhota Shakeel to establish contacts with Maoist leaders. Vinay Kumar and Devaiah say that Chhota Shakeel had appointed Altaf to establish contacts with Maoist leaders. Altaf was in Bengaluru between 2004 and 2007 and owned Times Bar on Residency Road. Vinay Kumar worked in the bar as a bouncer and Altaf also knew Devaiah. Following instructions from Altaf from abroad Vinay Kumar contacted certain Maoist leaders in Andhra Pradesh and was about to take them for a conference to Dubai. Altaf had also sent visas and air tickets through email, a senior police officer said.
The tickets were purchased from Uranus Travel and Tours in Dubai and the investigating officer has seized the visas and the tickets sent by Altaf. What has surprised the cops is that Altaf had sent Rs 25 lakh through hawala transactions and in instalments. Vinay Kumar reportedly received the cash each time, mostly in Hyderabad, and bought a high-end car in Bengaluru.
Vinay hails from Hassan while Devaiah is from Virajpet and lives in RT Nagar. We have seized an unlicensed pistol, seven live rounds of ammunition apart from visas and passports. The arrested were involved in the abduction of one Razak, a businessman, in 2007 who was later rescued in Chikmagalur.
ISI-Maoist link: Accused an extortionist | Deccan Chronicle | 2010-08-14
The ISI-Maoist link was cracked by Hyderabad and Bengaluru police with the assistance of central agencies. While Hyderabad police arrested four alleged Maoist leaders Sridhar Pasham, Kovi Sharat Chandra, Darshanam Pradeep Kumar and Gaddam Pavan Kumar, the CCB sleuths caught up with Altafs alleged associates Vinay Kumar and Devaiah. Mr Bidari claimed that Vinay Kumar and Devaiah did establish contacts with Maoist leaders in other states.
Several others are involved in the case. We need to investigate who the other Maoist leaders are. Preliminary investigations have revealed information about a clear plot by ISI to fund Maoists to commit terrorist and subversive acts in India, Mr Bidari said.
According to CCB sleuths, the ISI has engaged underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim to fund Maoist leaders to carry out terror acts. Dawood in turn assigned his close accomplice Chhota Shakeel to establish contacts with Maoist leaders. Vinay Kumar and Devaiah say that Chhota Shakeel had appointed Altaf to establish contacts with Maoist leaders. Altaf was in Bengaluru between 2004 and 2007 and owned Times Bar on Residency Road. Vinay Kumar worked in the bar as a bouncer and Altaf also knew Devaiah. Following instructions from Altaf from abroad Vinay Kumar contacted certain Maoist leaders in Andhra Pradesh and was about to take them for a conference to Dubai. Altaf had also sent visas and air tickets through email, a senior police officer said.
The tickets were purchased from Uranus Travel and Tours in Dubai and the investigating officer has seized the visas and the tickets sent by Altaf. What has surprised the cops is that Altaf had sent Rs 25 lakh through hawala transactions and in instalments. Vinay Kumar reportedly received the cash each time, mostly in Hyderabad, and bought a high-end car in Bengaluru.
Vinay hails from Hassan while Devaiah is from Virajpet and lives in RT Nagar. We have seized an unlicensed pistol, seven live rounds of ammunition apart from visas and passports. The arrested were involved in the abduction of one Razak, a businessman, in 2007 who was later rescued in Chikmagalur.
ISI-Maoist link: Accused an extortionist | Deccan Chronicle | 2010-08-14
