How cops in West Bengal let this Lashkar operative escape

SIT reports reveal that a dangerous LeT operative was permitted to escape due to police negligence

One could expect several more twists in the Aurangabad arms hauls case. With the SIT blaming cops from West Bengal for the escape of an accused in the case. Shaikh Abdul Naeem suspected to be an operative of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba was an accused in the 2006 Aurangabad arms hauls case.

This was a major case reported from Maharashtra and according to police diaries, several members of the LeT were transporting arms for a terrorist attack. The arms were seized but the operatives managed to escape.

Naeem was finally arrested in West Bengal only to escape again when he was being brought down to a court in Mumbai. According to the cops, Naeem managed to escape when the train in which he was being transferred stopped in Chattisgarh.

Naeem's family moved the Bombay high court stating that he had been murdered by the police. They said that he was suffering from a kidney ailment and hence the chances of him escaping were very remote. The Bombay HC ordered the setting up of an SIT to probe into the allegations.

After a detailed probe, it was submitted by the SIT that the West Bengal police had helped Naeem escape. It was found that Naeem despite being such a dangerous and high profile criminal was being brought to the court without handcuffs. The SIT also revealed that Naeem has not been murdered as was alleged by the family. Further the agency also said that it had filed cases against the West Bengal police officials for allegedly helping Naeem escape.

Naeem is an important link to the case. It may be recalled that Abu Jundal an accused in the Mumbai 26/11 case was convicted recently in the Aurangabad case.

Investigations show that there was not enough precaution taken while transporting Naeem from West Bengal to Mumbai. The lack of proper security measures and also the fact that he was not handcuffed goes on to show that Naeem was aided by the five cops. Naeem's whereabouts are unknown and officials suspect that he may have fled to Bangladesh.

One India News