Chidambaram blames security lapse,demands report in 24 hrs

He has asked for a report within 24 hours,which will be submitted on Monday,said officials.

The photos of the militants have been released and the investigation has been handed over to the Special Cell. The ACP Ravi Shankar,who was responsible for their arrest in 2000,will be handling the case. A reward of Rs 50,000 has been declared on information about each of them.

“It was a planned escape on Friday from the cycle market at 2.30 pm,” an officer said. The militants — Abdul Razzak,Mohammad Sadiq and Rafaqat Ali — were in Lampur detention home since October and several people came to meet them.

“Somebody came to meet them last week too,but the entry register at Lampur home is disorganised,” he said. “The names of visitors were not mentioned and the register only has random signatures by visitors”. Subsequently,the militants had complained about eye problems to Sub-Inspector Dino Moni Singh of Meghalaya Police’s Indian Reserve Battalion.

“On Thursday,their check-up was done at the mobile lab at Lampur and then they were allowed to visit the Guru Nanak Eye Centre,” the officer said. “But the FRRO,Special Branch or the Delhi Police were not informed about the check-up in advance.” 

On Friday afternoon,the militants reached the Guru Nanak Eye Centre. They asked Dina Moni Singh if they could go to the Old Delhi’s cycle market for a meal. While eating at Ambika restaurant,Singh went to the toilet. “This is when they escaped,” he said.

The officials feel they have been picked up by their men in Delhi. And because of the 18-hour delay in reporting the matter,it is possible that they have fled to Uttar Pradesh.

“Their sentence got over recently but instead of getting deported,they were asked to stay in India and help in terror operations,” said the officer.

Raids are being conducted and the staff at the Lampur home is being interrogated. “Five other ISI agents arrested in 2000 with these three,who are currently in Tihar Jail,will also be questioned,” the officer said.

The Lampur home comes under the purview of the Social Welfare Department of Delhi but the security is provided by the Delhi Police. The absconding militants were under the purview of the Special Branch.

The Delhi Police,however,said the Special Branch was not responsible for their security or escorting them to any hospital. The FRRO DCP Ajay Chaudhary said: “The FRRO is not concerned with security,deportation or transportation of any Pakistani national. All other countries come under our purview”.

L-G orders inquiry

Delhi Lt-Governor Tejendra Khanna ordered a magisterial inquiry into the case on Sunday. He has met Commissioner of Police Y S Dadwal. Deputy Commissioner (Northwest District,Revenue) DP Dwivedi has been asked to submit a report within a week. The Ministry of Home Affairs has also asked for enhanced security for the detention centre and transit custody of foreigners on deportation list.

Arrested in 2000

Abdul Razzak,Mohammad Sadiq and Rafaqat Ali were arrested on October 28,2000 by a Crime Branch team of ACP Ravi Shankar along with five other ISI agents — Kamaal alias Billa,Shabaaz alias Sripal,Akhtar,Jameel and Aslam. These eight agents were arrested during a four-day raid in several parts in Delhi and Rohtak. Fifteen kgs of high-grade RDX and 50 kg of heroin (worth over Rs 50 crore),were recovered from them.

On October 5,2000,they had entered India with their kingpin Niaz and were conspiring to use the explosives in the Capital. They were involved in blasts in 1999 and were planning to place bombs outside the Red Fort in 2000. An FIR was registered under various Sections against all of them at the Hauz Khas police station.