Chaos and confusion prevailed at South district’s Okhla police station when three officials of the Maharashtra ATS were detained for a couple of hours by the local police.
Local police officials claimed that ATS members were trying to take Taquee, younger brother of Nauqee Ahmed, an accused in the 13/7 Mumbai blast case, into custody for questioning.
ATS officials claimed they were in the city only to serve a notice to Taquee to join the ongoing investigations. But Taquee claimed that the ATS officials tried to bundle him into a waiting car, following which his family members called the PCR.
Taquee also lodged a complaint with the local police for trespassing, physical assault and threat to life. South district police officials said ATS should have informed the local police that they were going to serve a notice to Taquee so that a local police official could have accompanied them.
The three ATS men were whisked away to the Okhla police station where they were detained by the police as they had not informed the local police before operating in their jurisdiction. The ATS men were released after being detained for three hours.
Taquee has been on the radar of the ATS but has been avoiding questioning and has not even responded to the repeated summons issued by the investigating agency.
In fact, Taquee has even filed a number of petitions against the arrest of his brother saying Naquee was merely a police informer and not involved in acts of terror. Local police officials were also of the view that Taquee should join the investigations and instructed the ATS to inform the local police next time.
The south district police tried to downplay the incident saying it was merely a lack of communication and co-ordination between two state police. However, Mumbai ATS chief Rakesh Maria denied the entire incident.