How investigators failed to build a case against Liyaqat Shah: Exclusive details of a terror plot that was never hatched

With much fanfare on March 22, Special Cell of Delhi Police announced the arrest of 47-year-old Sayyed Liyaqat Shah alias Liyaqat Bukhari. And with that, the police claimed it had foiled “a massive, 26/11-type” terror plot in New Delhi.

However, after being in custody and taken around the country for investigations by Delhi Police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), at around 11am in court room no. 10, District and Sessions Judge IS Mehta on Friday granted bail to the Kashmiri.

Liyaqat’s elder brother Inayat, awaiting his brother’s release outside the Tihar jail on Friday. Photo by Jugal R Purohit.

Reason? NIA had failed to make out even a prima facie case against him.

It all started with an “intelligence-based” operation by the Special Cell in which Inspector Dharmender Kumar arrested Liyaqat from near the Gorakhpur railway station. They said the accused was en route to perpetrate terror attacks in the national capital.

It was further learnt that while in custody, Liyaqat was made to call his handler in Pakistan from where Liyaqat was “told” on March 21 to visit room 304 at Haji Arafat guest house at Jama Masjid.

When the Special Cell team raided the location, they discovered a green and black coloured bag which had an AK-56 inside alongwith three hand grenades, two magazines, a map of Delhi, “explosive-like material” and some dry fruits.

However, the amicus curie for Liyaqat, Asim Ali said: “The so-called recovery seems nothing but a plant by the Special Cell. Neither was the recovery at Liyaqat’s instance nor was he connected because he never lived in that hotel. Liyaqat was not present at the time of recovery too.”

“Liyaqat was in no way connected to that”: he added.

Citing section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act, Liyaqat got relief.

“It merely mentions that the recovery was not done on the pointing out by the accused. In fact, it was done without his knowledge and in his absence,” said Asim Ali.

Not surprisingly, Special Public Prosecutor Ahmed Khan admitted that till date, the NIA was yet to find any evidence which could link Liyaqat to the supposed terror attack. However, NIA maintained that call records and other angles are still being pursued.

In his order, according to amicus curie, the judge made the absence of substantial evidence against Liyaqat clear. And on that basis, Liyaqat was released on bail.

Sayyed Inayat, elder brother of the accused, said: “We informed his family. They are very happy. What we fail to understand is why Delhi Police did what it did!”

Inayat, along with his three relatives, has been camping in Delhi since Monday. “There were 18 boys from our village who were to follow Liyaqat. They never came after they saw what happened to him,” he said.

Conditions imposed by court on Liyaqat after bail:

- He cannot leave India without the court’s permission.
- He cannot change his address from Lolab in Kupwara district of Jammu  and Kashmir.
- He must furnish a bail bond of Rs. 20,000.
- He must mark his attendance on the first of each month at a local police station in Kashmir.
- He must surrender his passport to NIA.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/liyaqat-shah-nia-delhi-police-details-terror-attack-case-india-today/1/271615.html

IN PICTURES: Indian Navy’s tyrst with its big, gleaming new bird

Indian Naval Aviation received a major fillip with the arrival of the first of eight Boeing P-8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance and Anti Submarine Warfare aircraft at Naval Air Station Rajali, Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu today, 15 may 13.

Vice Admiral Bimal Verma, AVSM, Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command presided over the event that was attended by Commodore Puneet Bahl, Commanding Officer, INS Rajali, representatives from the Command and Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of defence (Navy) as well.

The P-8I aircraft, based on the Boeing 737-800(NG) airframe, is the Indian Naval variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing has developed for the US Navy. The aircraft is equipped with both foreign as well as indigenous sensors for Maritime Reconnaissance, Anti Submarine operations and for Electronic Intelligence missions.

The aircraft is fully integrated with state of the art sensors and highly potent Anti Surface and Anti Submarine weapons.

These LRMR/ ASW aircraft have been procured under the contract signed in 2009. The IN is in process of acquiring an additional four P-8I aircraft under the option clause.

The induction of the P-8I aircraft into the Indian Navy would greatly enhance India’s maritime surveillance capability in the Indian Ocean Region.

(Text and photos by Ministry of Defence, New Delhi)

 

Underwater robot program with IIT Bombay for navy, among the baby steps of first warship-building institution of India

Tenders have been floated for preparing the Master Plan and Detailed Project Report (DPR) for NIRDESH-National Institute for Research in Defence Shipbuilding at Chaliyam near Kozhikode.

Mazagon Docks Limted (MDL) the Mumbai Defence Shipyard have floated the tenders. The selected consultant will be required to prepare a Master Plan for the entire site and DPR for setting up the first phase of infrastructure. The Master Plan will be prepared in such a manner that Nirdesh grows into an environment- friendly, green campus, without disturbing the livelihood of the nearby villagers.

Role specific parks will be set up at Chaliyam, for efficient functioning of Nirdesh. Infrastructure in these parks are planned to be set up in three phases. The first phase will be completed in about three years, subject to statutory clearances. Even as the infrastructure plans for NIRDESH are progressing at a fast clip, the Institute conducted its first course for Shipyard Engineers in March this year at its premises. The Executive Committee of NIRDESH has also approved an R&D project of developing an underwater robot in collaboration with IIT Mumbai.

ALL DETAILS HERE: President confers Gallantry & Distinguished Service Awards

The President and Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces Shri Pranab Mukherjee conferred one Kirti Chakra and Twelve Shaurya Chakras to Armed Forces Personnel for displaying conspicuous gallantry, indomitable courage and extreme devotion to duty at a solemn ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan here today. Two of the Shaurya Chakra were given Posthumously.

The President also conferred ten Param Vishisht Seva Medals, one Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, four Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and twenty seven Ati Vishisht Seva Medals to senior officers of the Armed Forces for distinguished service of an exceptional order. The following is the list of awardees in order of Presentation:

 

Param Vishisht Seva Medal
1.			IC-30016A Lieutenant General ANIL CHANDRA CHAIT, ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL  ARMOURED CORPS / HEADQUARTERS CENTRAL COMMAND
2.			VICE ADMIRAL SATISH SONI, ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, NAO SENA MEDAL, (01683-Z)
3.			AIR MARSHAL ARUP RAHA, ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, VAYU SENA MEDAL (13910) FLYING (PILOT)
4.			IC-30516X LIEUTENANT GENERAL KULDIP SINGH, ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, ARMY AIR DEFENCE
5.			IC-30687K Lieutenant General Sanjiv Langer, ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, Armoured corps
6.			IC-27994W Lieutenant General PALVINDER SINGH BHALLA, ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, ARMOURED CORPS/ HEADQUARTERS NATIONAL CADET CORPS
7.			IC-30722F LIEUTENANT GENERAL VIJAI SHARMA, ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, CORPS OF ENGNIEERS
8.			IC-25839W LIEUTENANT GENERAL BALJEET SINGH, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY (RETIRED)
9.			IC-27265N LIEUTENANT GENERAL BALAKRISHNAN VENUGOPAL NAIR, ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY / DEFENCE SERVICES STAFF COLLEGE, WELLINGTON (RETIRED)
10.			AIR MARSHAL ANIL CHOPRA, ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, VAYU SENA MEDAL, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL (13368) FLYING (PILOT) (RETIRED)
KIRTI CHAKRA
11.			IC-67270F MAJOR Anup Joseph Manjali, BIHAR ReGIMENT / 24TH BATTAlION THE Rashtriya Rifles
UTTAM YUDDH SEVA MEDAL
12.			IC-31052X Lieutenant General Shakti Gurung, ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL   INFANTRY / HEADQUARTERS 4TH CORPS
BAR TO ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL
13.			IC-30708P LIEUTENANT GENERAL ASHOK KUMAR CHOUDHARY, ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, SENA MEDAL, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, INFANTRY / HEADQUARTERS BENGAL AREA
14.			IC-27325x LIEUTENANT GENERAL rajesh kochhar, ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, SENA MEDAL, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, CORPS OF eLECTRONICs AND mECHANICAL eNGINEERs (retired)
15.			IC-27967M Lieutenant General Surinder Pal Singh, Ati vishisht seva medal, vishisht seva medal, REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY (RETIRED)
16.			VICE ADMIRAL PRADEEP CHAUHAN, ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL (01610-H)
ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL
17.			IC-30462F LIEUTENANT GENERAL AMARJEET SINGH CHABBEWAL, YUDDH SEVA MEDAL, ARMOURED CORPS / HEADQUARTERS 2ND CORPS
18.			IC-30702N Lieutenant General Philip Campose, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, MECHANISED INFANTRY / headquarters 12th corps
19.			IC-31341M Lieutenant General Sanjeev Anand, Vishisht Seva Medal, MECHANISED INFANTRY / Headquarters 10TH Corps
20.			IC-31521P LIEUTENANT GENERAL SURENDRA HARI KULKARNI, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL AND BAR, ARMOURED CORPS / headquarters 21ST CORPS
21.			IC-31505X Lieutenant General SUBROTO MITRA, SENA MEDAL, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, INFANTRY / HEADQUARTERS ATNK & K AREA
22.			MR-04125P Lieutenant GenERAL Surendra Singh Panwar, SENA MEDAL, ARMY MEDICAL CORPS / COMMAND HOSPITAL headquarters SOUTHERN COMMAND
23.			IC-27269K LIEUTENANT GENERAL SISIR SUBHRA SENGUPTA, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, CORPS OF ENGINEERS (RETIRED)
24.			AIR MARSHAL HERIKUDRU BABU RAJARAM, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL (14939) ADMINISTRATION/ AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER
25.			IC-34350Y Major General (now lt gen) Kamal Jit Singh, ARMOURED CORPS
26.			IC-34385P MajOR GenERAL Anil Kumar Ahuja, SENA MEDAL, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL AND BAR, REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY
27.			IC-34396f MajOR GenERAL Ravindran Narayan Nair, SENA MEDAL, infantry / HEADQUARTERS 21ST MOUNTAIN DIVISION
28.			IC-34829N MAJOR GENERAL SANJIV TALWAR, CORPS OF ENGINEERS
29.			IC-37022W MAJOR GENERAL SANJAY KULKARNI,  SHAURYA CHAKRA, SENA MEDAL, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, INFANTRY / HEADQUARTERS 56TH INFANTRY DIVISION
30.			IC-35173W Major General Raymond Joseph Noronha, Sena Medal, infantry / headquarters, 8th mountain division
31.			IC-35626W MAJOR GENERAL UMESH KUMAR GURUNG, YUDH SEVA MEDAL, INFANTRY / HEADQUARTERS Inspector General Assam Rifles (SOUTH)
32.			IC-30817F MAJOR GENERAL AJAY KUMAR CHATURVEDI, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL, CORPS OF ENGINEERS (RETIRED)
33.			REAR ADMIRAL ABHAY RAGHUNATH KARVE (02118-N)
34.			REAR ADMIRAL KARAMBIR SINGH (02151-N)
35.			AIR VICE MARSHAL (NOW AIR MARSHAL) BIPIN BIHARI PRASAD SINHA (15748) ADMINISTRATION
36.			AIR VICE MARSHAL DATTATRAY KESHAO PANDE, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL (15081), AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING (ELECTRONICS)
37.			AIR VICE MARSHAL RAKESH KUMAR SINGH BHADAURIA, VAYU SENA MEDAL (16026) FLYING (PILOT)
38.			AIR VICE MARSHAL SARDAR HARPAL SINGH, VAYU SENA MEDAL (16071) FLYING (PILOT)
39.			AIR COMMODORE MANAVENDRA SINGH, VrC, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL (16983) FLYING (PILOT)
40.			AIR COMMODORE ASHWANI KUMAR NABH, VAYU SENA MEDAL (16608) FLYING (PILOT)
41.			AIR COMMODORE RAJENDRA NALSINGHRAO GAEKWAD, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL (17845) FLYING (PILOT)
42.			AIR COMMODORE RADHAKRISHNAN RADHISH, VAYU SENA MEDAL (17853) FLYING (PILOT)
43.			JC-520361A SUBEDAR MAJOR VIJAY KUMAR, SENA MEDAL, DOGRA REGIMENT / INFANTRY SCHOOL, MHOW
SHAURYA CHAKRA
44.		IC-56887X LIEUTENANT COLONEL DHRUVJYOTI CHANDA, 13TH BATTALION THE SIKH REGIMENT
45.		IC-72377A LIEUTENANT (NOW CAPTAIN) SATYA JEET AHLAWAT, ARMY ORDNANCE CORPS/ 9TH BATTALION THE SIKH LIGHT INFANTRY
46.		SS-40921H Major Pradeep Mishra, JAT regiment / 5th BATTALION the RASHTRIYA RIFLES
47.		IC-60369P MAJOR HIMANSHU PANWAR, 26TH MARATHA LIGHT INFANTRY BATTALION
48.		IC-65554M MAJOR SANDEEP KUMAR, 13TH BATTALION THE SIKH REGIMENT
49.		15126119H Havildar Charanjit Singh, REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY/ 30TH BATTALION THE Rashtriya Rifles
50.		IC-58687A MAJOR (NOW LIEUTENANT COLONEL) AMIT MOHINDRA, 666 Army Aviation Squadron (Reconnaissance and Observation
51.		13698975M Naik Krishan Kumar, BRIGADE OF THE GUARDS/13TH Sikh Light Infantry Battalion Group (POSTHUMOUS)
52.		JC-559638M Subedar Pradeep Beck, BIHAR ReGIMENT / 24TH BATTALION THE Rashtriya Rifles
53.		IC-68806Y CAPTAIN A RAHUL RAMESH, CORPS OF ENGINEERS / 72ND ROAD CONSTRUCTION COMPANY (POSTHUMOUS)
54.		LIEUTENANT COMMANDER INDERJEET SINGH (05871-T)
55.		IC-74882F Lieutenant (NOW CAPTAIN) Manish Singh, 9th Battalion THE Parachute Regiment (Special Forces)

 

Did a Coast Guard ship ram into Goan trawler?

By Jugal R Purohit

IndiaToday.in

At 4:30 am on Thursday, approximately 17 nautical miles west of Goan coast, a fishing trawler was suddenly hit by a ‘huge ship’. This incident, which has resulted into a massive rescue operation being launched in the region with one ship and helicopter from both the Navy and the Coast Guard and more to come, may have happened by a ship of the Indian Coast Guard itself.

Seen here is ICGS Vishwast which belongs to the same class as the ICGS Vaibhav. Thus this picture is for representation only. Courtesy: Indian Coast Guard

Top sources have informed that a Board of Inquiry has already been ordered against the ship and its commanding officer and crew. This perhaps will be the first occasion when a service ship has rammed into a fishing trawler, splitting it into two and killing atleast one while five remain missing and 23 recuperate in a local Goa hospital.

A senior officer from the Coast Guard said, “The fishing community in Goa first alleged that they were rammed into by a naval ship. Subsequently, we conducted an internal probe which revealed that there was no navy ship in the area at all at the time of the incident.”

Further explaining, he added, “But there was our ship, Vaibhav, which was in the area and on that count, we have ordered a BoI.” Despite repeated attempts including text message, the Director General of the Coast Guard Vice Admiral Anurag Thapliyal did not respond.

Krishna Ambi, a crew member of the ill-fated trawler Colva-based fishing trawler, ‘Sea- Mercia’ described the incident: “The cook was preparing tea and food for the crew. Out lights were on which is when a speeding ship rammed into us. While those who were on the first half of the trawler immediately wore life jackets and ventured into the sea.” He added that the ship did not even wait for us. He said that a Panaji based trawler named Ana Maria rescued the others.

Countering this, a Coast Guard officer said, “We have primarily established that the fishing boat did not have its lights on and they were all asleep. We are investigating if there was our fault but these people are not faultless either.”

Areas off Goa, Mumbai and Mangalore, owing to the heavy traffic in merchant shipping, fishing as well as presence of the Navy and Coast Guard vessels have been witnessing maritime acccidents in the last few years. However, with this BoI it will be the first time a Coast Guard ship has been charged with such an offence.

ICGS VAIBHAV

It is a 90m long offshore Patrol Vessel being built by the Goa Shipyard Limited. Its hull is made of steel and the ship can do a variety of roles from patrolling to pollution response to anti piracy.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/did-a-coast-guard-ship-ram-into-goan-trawler/1/267759.html

ARRESTED INSTEAD OF ASSISTED: In Mail Today on the 25 Indian sailors picked up by Pak authorities when their vessel’s engine broke down

As appeared in the MAIL TODAY newspaper on April 24, 2013.

You can also access the article on: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/indian-fishermen-pakistani-waters-gwadar-port-illegal-entry-indian-coast-guard-engine-breakdown/1/267286.html

IN PICTURES: Indo-UK Army exercise, Ex Ajeya Warrior – 2013

Learning from each others experiences in varied terrain and environment, the company level joint exercise enters the fourth week of the joint training cycle of four weeks.  The initial weeks of the joint training included familiarisation, demonstration, lectures and joint tactical exercises. This was divided into indoor and outdoor training. The joint training is being conducted by having two mixed companies of UK Army & Indian Army Soldiers.

The exercise is aimed to build and promote positive military relations between the two countries by undertaking joint training for Counter Insurgency Operations and thereby gaining from each other’s valuable operational experiences.  The exercise will also help to evolve joint battle drills for combating such menace.

During the course of Exercise Ajeya Warrior – 2013, the technology advancement has been amalgamated to create a force multiplier and assist the combat troops in conducting its operation. UAVs, Recce and Observation system, Thermal Imaging system, Early Warning detachments, use of Helicopters and sniffer & tracker Dogs assisted the commanders of the joint exercises in achieving their aim.

Having rehearsed and trained on counter insurgency and counter terrorism environment, the troops of the two Commonwealth Nations have graduated to the stage of conducting tactical exercises jointly in rural and semi urban environment. The joint training having exercise on Search and Destroy operations in the past week and will now move on to Cordon and Search operations.

The fourth and last week of training will mark the culmination with the joint exercises on Cordon and Search operations.  The drills & procedures of the two most experiences armies in the domain of counter insurgency will be dovetailed into one integrated force

(Text & photos by Ministry of Defence, New Delhi)

Article as appeared on the front page of the MAIL TODAY Newspaper, New Delhi on April 19, 2013

New Delhi: India’s famed Black Cats seem to have lost their bite in the four-and-a-half years since the Mumbai terror attacks. The National Security Guard (NSG), the nation’s much vaunted counter-terror arm that so heroically brought the curtain down on the 26/11 outrage, stands compromised in the critical areas of manpower and training, a Mail Today investigation has found out.

Governmental neglect and apathy have so hobbled this sword arm of the security apparatus that the top hierarchy of the NSG has been moved to say as much to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), its controller and administrator. The NSG wants officers, and it wants helicopters to train its men. Both are in short supply.

One of the vital components of the force’s training is its helicopter-borne operations, one happy result of which the entire nation saw unfold at Mumbai in 2008. NSG commandos are trained to rappel down a line from a hovering helicopter at an enemy location, thus effecting a quick insertion of highly trained fighters into the heart of the action. Since May 2012, however, the NSG has barely had any helicopter training. Why? Because there are no helicopters, that’s why.

Says one source, “The norm is that a helicopter be made available to us once in two months, if not more. But the frequency has dropped sharply.” It is to the NSG’s credit that it has improvised by erecting platforms atop tall structures at its hubs and bases to simulate helicopter operations. “But nothing can beat the original. Should a force like the NSG be forced in this way to seek alternatives and compromises?” asks an officer.

DG asks for more
The NSG’s copter situation deteriorated to the extent that its then Director General (DG)- now the DG of the Border Security Force-Subhash Joshi on November 29, 2012 was constrained to bring it to the attention of Minister of State (MoS) Home RPN Singh. Minutes of that meeting, available with Mail Today, show the DG as saying, “During the last six months no heliborne training could be conducted due to non-availability of helicopter. DG NSG requested to expedite the process of taking over one helicopter of NSG, which is presently with the Aviation Research Centre (ARC).”

The DG went on to tell the minister about the manpower shortage affecting the force. This shortage, according to the note, was coming from the side of the Army, “in the rank of Team Commander (rank of Major/Captain) level in the NSG and requested that these vacancies may be filled by the officers of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) for the time being. JS (P-II) informed that MHA has already agreed for the same in principle.”

Missing copters
The main reason for the lack of availability of helicopters is that dismal state of the MHA’s Air Wing which has six Russian-made Mi-17 1V helicopters purchased in 2004, operated by the BSF. These machines require heavy maintenance; making them available often in a situation of increasing deployment in anti-Naxal operations is easier said than done. That the ARC helicopter sought by the NSG chief is an older version of the Mi17 only shows how desperate the situation is.

The manpower crunch has its origin in the Army and the CAPFs not being able to chip in with their prescribed quota. The sudden expansion of the NSG, with new hubs in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai has only amplified the problem. Explains a source, “There is a shortage of 25 officers in each of the hubs that have been set up. Apart from the Army, Central Reserve Police Force and BSF, other forces have not been able to provide us manpower.

And the Army, CRPF and BSF have their own requirement and thus can’t be making up for what the others don’t deliver.” A senior officer in the NSG counters this argument. He says: “There is a shortage. But as a special force, we are quite well-numbered as compared to other special forces of the world.” It is learnt that government is writing to state police forces to send volunteers to the NSG and to fill the gaps in the force’s ranks. MoS RPN Singh acknowledges the November 2012 meeting, and says the NSG’s needs are being looked into.

‘Highly disturbing’
Lt. Gen (Retd) P.C. Katoch, who served with the Army’s elite Parachute Regiment has no kind words for the government. “The force is being compromised. Helicopters are a must for the NSG, especially when you talk of the operations they are to do,” he says. “It is highly disturbing that the government has agreed to replace men from the Army with those from the paramilitary and state forces.”

Former NSG chief Rajan K Medhekar says, “A force like the NSG should have it own fleet of helicopters or a dedicated squadron. Historically, the Special Action Group (SAG) which has always been an all-Army group, and Special Rangers Group (SRG) which is largely staffed by men from BSF and CRPF and is used for protection duties, have till date never been mixed the way this proposal plans to. It won’t be good.”

(http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/national-security-guard-mumbai-terror-attacks-black-cats-centre-negligence/1/266509.html)

EXCLUSIVE: Copter-crunched IAF briefs Antony on need to sort out VVIP chopper probe quickly

As appeared in the Mail Today newspaper, New Delhi on April 18, 2013.

 

You can also catch the story online by clicking on this:

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/no-helicopters-to-ferry-vvips-from-feb-2014-iaf-informs-mod/1/266324.html

Defence Minister AK Antony at the inauguration of the IAF Commander’s Conference today

Defence Minister AK Antony with Air Force Commanders during the Air Force Commanders’ Conference held at Air Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan), New Delhi on 16th April 2013. (Text and photos by Ministry of Defence, New Delhi)