No need for me to lie on Karkare remarks: Digvijay Singh

GUWAHATI - Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh on Tuesday continued to insist on his remarks that he did speak to slain Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, who was gunned down by militants in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

I am not a liar, there is no need for me to lie that I had spoken to (slain Maharashtra ATS chief) Hemant Karkare,” Singh told reporters.

He said he had requested the Telecom Ministry to get the record of the call between him and Karkare from its centre in Pune.

Singh further said that he had sent a request to Bhopal’s BSNL General Manager in this regard, but they failed to provide the details of the number, as the records are kept only for 12 months.

He said he had spoken to Karkare from his number registered in Bhopal.

Digvijay Singh had claimed on Monday of having a proof of his phone talk with Hemant Karkare just before the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Earlier on Sunday, Hemant Karkare’s wife, Kavita Karkare, asked to probe Digvijay Singh for his comment on 26/11 attack and Hemant Karkare’s death.

She said Singh’s remarks on death of her husband will give a wrong picture on the Mumbai terrorist attack, and added that she disagree with the view that Hindutva groups were involved in 26/11 attack.

“It has to be inquired into, because many people say Hindutva forces were behind it (Karkare’s death). Books have been written about it too. These things could have a dangerous impact on the 26/11 investigations,” Kavita Karkare told reporters in Mumbai.

Singh on Saturday said Karkare called him just hours before the attack and said that his life was “blighted by constant threats” from those opposed to his probe into the Malegaon blast.

“On November 26, 2008, at 7 .pm, just about two hours before the attacks in Mumbai started, Hemant Karkare, rang me on my mobile and told me how his family and his life were blighted by constant threats from people annoyed by his investigations into the Malegaon blasts,” said Singh.

“He was worried and he told me he was trying to trace the calls, but was depressed and worried by threats and personal attacks made in their newspapers. Karkare also told me that he was hurt that in a paper, the mouthpiece of a Hindu right-wing organization, allegations were being made that my son was minting money in Dubai, when in reality he was only a school student in Mumbai,” he added.(ANI)