02-14-2005, 08:56 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Now Haksar says she didn't hear any gunshots </b>
Pramod Kumar Singh/ New Delhi
The hands of the Delhi Police are full. The case of the murderous attack on SAR Geelani turned on its head on Friday when in a sudden volte-face, his briefing lawyer and friend Nandita Haksar, retracted from her earlier statement that she had heard the gunshots followed by a frantic banging on her door.
Whodunit?
During her two hour long questioning by the sleuths of the Crime Branch on Thursday evening, she appeared to be dodgy. She refused to give any straight answer and spoke along pre-determined lines. When specifically asked about the gunshots, which she had claimed she had heard in her earlier statements, she refused lock, stock and barrel that she heard gunshots on Tuesady night, while she was expecting Geelani at her Vasant Enclave residence.
<b>Even her husband, Sebastian Hongray, an activist of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), Issac-Muviah group appeared to be incoherent despite the fact that he was very much present in the house when the incident took place. Police are also investigating Sebastians's movements, since he is said to be quite a regular at a Munirka-based Church, where many persons from the North Eastern states frequent every Sunday. Sebastian was also behind the recent seminar on Naga problems in a JNU campus where the theme was predominantly anti-India, sources added</b>.
Geealni's wife, Arifa and brother Bismillah too parroted the pre-determined theory that Geelani was attacked by Delhi Police. Despite repeated queries, in the presence of Haksar and her husband, they refused to disclose whether Geelani had spoken to them about any threat, recently.
Meanwhile, fearing a second attack on Geelani's life, the Delhi Police have tightened the security cordon around him. There are strong indications that the elements who attacked Geelani on Tuesday night while he was going to meet his lawyer friend Nandita Haksar, could try to eliminate Geelani again, to remove any doubts about their involvement, while he recovers in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
In a letter written to the AIIMS adminstration, Delhi Police have asked them to ensure that Geelani is treated and attended by the staff and doctors of AIIMS only. No stranger should be allowed near him and he should not be administered any fluid or medicines brought by unidentified persons.
AIIMS has been playing host to many unwanted elements ever since Geelani was brought in for treatment. The step has been initiated to ensure that nothing untoward happens to Geelani, a senior police official said.
In another twist to the tale, the doctors at AIIMS told the police that Geelani was still "unfit for statement" and they would have to cool their heels for another day or two before he is fit enough to record his statement. Delhi Police have also written to the AIIMS authorities that the bullets removed from the body of Geelani should be preserved and there should not be any tampering.
In a related development, Dr PC Dikshit and Dr Jagdish Chander of Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), the two doctors of the medical panel will visit the spot on Saturday to take a first hand account of the sequence of events leading up to the attack on Geelani. The two experts are likely to supervise the surgery to remove the bullets lodged in Geelani's body and will give their opinion on the nature of injuries sustained by Geelani.
It is learnt that police had asked for the panel of doctors from other hospitals since the cops were wary of Dr Anup Saraya, a gastroenterologist with AIIMS. Interestingly, Nandita Haksar had called up Dr Saraya after Geelani was fired at, rather than informing the police. The police came to know about the incident only after the duty constable informed the South West district control room, that Geelani was reportedly shot at around 9 pm on Tuesday night. The 70 odd minutes were very crucial for the purpose of the investigation and they were lost, said Commissioner of Police, Dr KK Paul.a <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Pramod Kumar Singh/ New Delhi
The hands of the Delhi Police are full. The case of the murderous attack on SAR Geelani turned on its head on Friday when in a sudden volte-face, his briefing lawyer and friend Nandita Haksar, retracted from her earlier statement that she had heard the gunshots followed by a frantic banging on her door.
Whodunit?
During her two hour long questioning by the sleuths of the Crime Branch on Thursday evening, she appeared to be dodgy. She refused to give any straight answer and spoke along pre-determined lines. When specifically asked about the gunshots, which she had claimed she had heard in her earlier statements, she refused lock, stock and barrel that she heard gunshots on Tuesady night, while she was expecting Geelani at her Vasant Enclave residence.
<b>Even her husband, Sebastian Hongray, an activist of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), Issac-Muviah group appeared to be incoherent despite the fact that he was very much present in the house when the incident took place. Police are also investigating Sebastians's movements, since he is said to be quite a regular at a Munirka-based Church, where many persons from the North Eastern states frequent every Sunday. Sebastian was also behind the recent seminar on Naga problems in a JNU campus where the theme was predominantly anti-India, sources added</b>.
Geealni's wife, Arifa and brother Bismillah too parroted the pre-determined theory that Geelani was attacked by Delhi Police. Despite repeated queries, in the presence of Haksar and her husband, they refused to disclose whether Geelani had spoken to them about any threat, recently.
Meanwhile, fearing a second attack on Geelani's life, the Delhi Police have tightened the security cordon around him. There are strong indications that the elements who attacked Geelani on Tuesday night while he was going to meet his lawyer friend Nandita Haksar, could try to eliminate Geelani again, to remove any doubts about their involvement, while he recovers in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
In a letter written to the AIIMS adminstration, Delhi Police have asked them to ensure that Geelani is treated and attended by the staff and doctors of AIIMS only. No stranger should be allowed near him and he should not be administered any fluid or medicines brought by unidentified persons.
AIIMS has been playing host to many unwanted elements ever since Geelani was brought in for treatment. The step has been initiated to ensure that nothing untoward happens to Geelani, a senior police official said.
In another twist to the tale, the doctors at AIIMS told the police that Geelani was still "unfit for statement" and they would have to cool their heels for another day or two before he is fit enough to record his statement. Delhi Police have also written to the AIIMS authorities that the bullets removed from the body of Geelani should be preserved and there should not be any tampering.
In a related development, Dr PC Dikshit and Dr Jagdish Chander of Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), the two doctors of the medical panel will visit the spot on Saturday to take a first hand account of the sequence of events leading up to the attack on Geelani. The two experts are likely to supervise the surgery to remove the bullets lodged in Geelani's body and will give their opinion on the nature of injuries sustained by Geelani.
It is learnt that police had asked for the panel of doctors from other hospitals since the cops were wary of Dr Anup Saraya, a gastroenterologist with AIIMS. Interestingly, Nandita Haksar had called up Dr Saraya after Geelani was fired at, rather than informing the police. The police came to know about the incident only after the duty constable informed the South West district control room, that Geelani was reportedly shot at around 9 pm on Tuesday night. The 70 odd minutes were very crucial for the purpose of the investigation and they were lost, said Commissioner of Police, Dr KK Paul.a <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->