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Police still to file espionage FIR against Shah

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

Though Wing Commander Satnam Shah has been in police custody for more than 10 days, the Delhi police are yet to file a first information report about the alleged espionage activities of the retired Indian Air Force officer.

Police Commissioner Ajai Raj Sharma has gone to town about Wing Cdr Shah's alleged unlawful activities, telling reporters that he had spilled the beans and admitted to having worked for the American Central Intelligence Agency for many years.

Shah and his daughter Priya were arrested from their residence in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj when a police team raided the house and seized 150kg of refined hashish in seven suitcases neatly packed in plastic bags.

"We have been working on various leads provided by Shah during the course of his interrogation. Since there is too much of investigation involved, which will take the investigating teams all over India and even abroad, it is better that the Central Bureau of Investigation takes up the case," Joint Commissioner of Police (southern range) Amod Kanth told rediff.com

"As far as the drug case is concerned, the investigations are complete. Many other agencies are involved in the interrogation of Shah's espionage links," Joint Commissioner of Police (southern range) Amod Kanth told rediff.com.

But he refused to divulge details of the progress made by the police in the drug case. "Why do you want to know where the drugs came from and where they were heading for? Isn't it enough that the drugs were found in his house?" he said.

And who was the journalist who had reportedly promised to help Shah out in getting rid of the drugs? "Why is the media interested in knowing who the person was. He did not help Shah. The main thing is that the drugs were seized from his house and it is for him to explain where they came from and where they were heading," Kanth argued.

The investigating police officers said they could not subject Shah to sustained interrogation because he is old and has a heart problem. But they claim to have still managed to identify almost all the people concerned in the espionage case as well as those who have been named by Shah for clearing major defence deals. A separate case is likely to be registered against Shah in this matter as well.

The police also denied that some of Shah's business rivals may have planted the drugs on him. "Who would plant drugs on a scale like this?" they counter.

EARLIER REPORT:
Shah could be the kingpin of overseas drug racket

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