Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Why Pak can't neglect India's 11th dossier

June 20, 2010 16:45 IST

India recently handed over to Pakistan an 11th dossier pertaining to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case. Sources told rediff.com on Sunday that the dossier, which is the first since the conclusion of the trial in the case, revolves entirely around the evidence that has been recorded by the court against key operatives in the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence.

The dossier provides additional information against the likes of Hafiz Sayeed and 33 others from the LeT. Sources pointed out that the Indian government was to submit this dossier a month after the trial in the case, but had waited to add the David Headley interrogation into the dossier.

The evidence recorded by the special court and also Headley's interrogation makes the dossier a strong one, sources said. All the earlier dossiers that were handed over were largely based on the investigation conducted by the police, which Pakistan refused to take note of.

However, this time it is armed with evidence that has been recorded by a court of law, which makes India's case stronger.

India, in the dossier, has expressed unhappiness over the manner in which the Pakistan court has handled the case against chief perpetrator of the 26/11 attack, Hafiz Sayeed.

Pakistan, which has said that it would examine the dossier before replying, had also asked for copies of the evidence sheets and the judgment copy in the 26/11 case. These documents have been annexed along with the dossier for Pakistan to study. The dossier also goes on to mention the threat that India faces from the dreaded Ilyas Kashmiri and seeks action against him.

India is expected to send another dossier soon, which would largely revolve around the evidence collected from David Headley. Although the 11th dossier does mention about his interrogation by the NIA supported by Headley's confession to the FBI, the next dossier would go into further details. This would be done once the National Investigation Agency concludes its investigation based on Headley's interrogation and files an additional chargesheet in the case.

The future dossiers, which would continue to strengthen the case against Sayeed and the 33 others, would also go on to prove the nexus the ISI shared with the Lashkar that masterminded and launched the 26/11 attack, sources pointed out.

Vicky Nanjappa