Author: Rajib Chatterjee
Publication: The Statesman
Date: January 2, 2009
URL: http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=241458
A team from Maharastra police, that recently
came to the city, found that the man arrested in connection with the terror
attack on 26 /11 had obtained his driving licence from Hooghly.
A senior administrative official in Hooghly
said the driving licence was issued by the Arambag Motor Vehicle Camp office
in 2006. The man, Mohammed Rafiq, was arrested by officers of the Mumbai police's
special task force from Mumbai following the terror attack.
Mr Soumya Purakait, additional district magistrate
(development) said : "We are collecting the papers including medical
certificate and photo identity proof on the basis of which the driving license
to Rafiq was issued. We have found the register of the motor vehicle department
in which Rafiq's name was mentioned. Rafiq's application forms for learners
license and final license were handed over to Maharastra police".
He further said that motor vehicle officials
were now trying to get hold of the papers on the basis of which the driving
license was issued.
Though it was also learnt that Rafiq had also
managed to secure ration card from Chowkbazar in Hooghly, Mr Purakait said
he had no reports to confirm it.
"Officers of Maharastra police have recently
come to Hooghly and held a meeting with us. They told us that the driving
license was issued from Hooghly in 2006. We have assured them that we will
provide them all necessary help to find out the persons who had helped Rafiq
secure the driving license from Hooghly," Mr Purakait said. Asked whether
district administration would initiate a probe to find out, how Rafiq managed
to secure his driving license from Hooghly, Mr Purakait said: "We would
first send all documents to Maharastra police. Then we would probe this angle."
Another senior district administrative official
said they suspect that Rafiq had come to Hooghly and stayed there for some
time earlier. "We also can't rule out the possibility that Rafiq has
some contacts in Hooghly," said an official.
