Refuting the claim of Singh, Patil said, “There is no link between the Malegaon bomb blasts and the killing of Karkare. I checked with the police department if it had recorded the conversations between Singh and Karkare, and was informed that the police authorities have found no records of the conversation between Singh and Karkare on the day of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
Singh in an interview last week to a national English daily claimed that Karkare had spoken to him about threats to his life from Hindu militants who were alleged to have been associated with the Malegaon bomb blasts, and that he was under tremendous pressure which was denied by Kavita Karkare, the wife of slain ATS chief Karkare, who stated that her husband who was probing the Malegaon blasts was courageous and not under any kind of tension.
Patil was responding to the opposition in the assembly which had demanded that the state home minister make a statement on the issue. They also alleged that the Congress and Singh were playing minority politics over the killing of Karkare.
Reacting to Patil’s statement in the Maharashtra assembly, Singh remained adamant on his statement and said that it was very unfortunate of Patil to have made the statement, which he said came as a surprise to him and he did not expect such a statement from Patil.
“I’m not a liar nor am I lying on the issue. Patil is creating confusion and mixing the call records from that in the morning and late evening of Nov. 26, 2008. I again reiterated “what I had stated earlier was the truth and I have no reason to lie and more ever why should I lie. The media is unnecessarily hyping the issue by distorting facts and creating the controversy,” he said.
The Congress leader also said that when he spoke with Karkare, the then additional commissioner of police (Crime) Rakesh Maria was sitting with Karkare. Not sparing Maria, Singh said that Maria’s role during 26/11 had been questioned by Vinita Kamte, widow of slain Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte, who was also killed along with Karkare.
“I had stated that I had records, but what can I do when the telecom provide Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited informed him that they do not maintain records for a long time and erase it. “ But I stick to my stand and there are two witnesses a businessman and a security official who can vouch about my conversation with Karkare, as both were present when I spoke to Karkare.
When asked about the denial of Kavita Karkare of any pressure or threats to her husband from the Hindu militant organizations, Singh said that he did not wish to drag Kavita into the controversy.
