Mumbai Crime Branch gets permission to interrogate Kasab with Abu Jundal

Mumbai, Aug.9 (ANI): The Maharashtra Government on Thursday gave permission to the Crime Branch of Mumbai Police to interrogate 26/11 terror attack convict Ajmal Kasab with his alleged handler Abu Jundal.

Television reports said that the decision to have a face-off between Kasab and Jundal was aimed at getting clarity on some revelations made by Jundal during his interrogation about training being imparted to terrorists in Pakistan, and that he had taught Hindi to the 26/11 attackers.

The channels quoted Mumbai Crime Branch sources, as saying that a letter had been sent to the state government's Home Department last week seeking permission to go ahead with a joint probe, and they added that this permission has since been received.

Media reports had earlier said that Jundal had also revealed that he met American Lashkar operative David Headley, a co-accused in the 26/11 attacks.

Kasab will be confronted with these revelations to corroborate the version of Jundal, the sources said.

Jundal was allegedly in contact with two terrorists during the siege of Chabad House, a Jewish outreach centre, during the Mumbai attacks on November 26, 2008.

Syed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, 31, from Beed district of Maharashtra, was arrested in the 26/11 case on July 21 by Mumbai Police after he was brought here from Delhi, where he was apprehended in another case after being deported from Saudi Arabia.

Jundal is in crime branch custody till August 13.

He is also wanted in other cases in Maharashtra, including the 2006 Aurangabad arms haul case, 2010 German Bakery blast case and for hatching a conspiracy to attack Nashik Police Academy.

His custody in these cases would be possible only after his interrogation in the 26/11 case is over. (ANI)