ISI operatives funded 13/7 blasts
The 13/7 Mumbai triple bombings that rocked the country’s economic capital last year were funded by Karachi-based operatives of Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence. The money was handed over to Riaz Bhatkal, the founder of Indian Mujahideen who currently operates out of Karachi. Bhatkal in turn sent the money through the hawala network to an accomplice in Dubai who then sent the money to India.
During sustained custodial interrogation, hawala operator Kanwar Nain Wazeer Chand Patrija disclosed to Maharashtra ATS investigators that he had received `10 lakhs from an associate in Dubai some time in June last year. Patrija further said he gave the entire amount of `10 lakhs to Yasin Bhatkal, who heads the India operations of the IM.
These details have been shared by the Maharashtra ATS in a report sent on Wednesday to Central intelligence agencies. Highly-placed intelligence sources said some of the leads given by Patrija, particularly of his hawala network abroad, are being pursued aggressively by the Central agencies as the Maharashtra ATS is not fully equipped to handle such sensitive information. On basis of his disclosure, the Maharashtra ATS has even drawn up a list of names and phone numbers of his hawala contacts in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Mumbai and even Kerala.
Sources claimed that though Patrija admitted to having provided money to Bhatkal but he denied his involvement or any knowledge in the 13/7 serial blasts. Patrija, a Delhi-based hawala operator was picked up by a joint team of Maharashtra ATS and Intelligence Bureau from Chandni Chowk area on Monday evening. He also runs a small jewellery shop in the same locality.
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