PANJIM: A month after he was granted conditional bail, new revelations indicate that Samir Sardana, who was held for alleged terror links, could have links to the 2008 terror attacks.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, in a reply tabled during the just concluded Budget session of the Legislative Assembly, states, “Efforts to unearth his (Sardana) involvement in any previous terror strikes are being made as a letter has been found in his possession indicating his involvement in the 2008 related terror incidents in the country.”
The reply, based on comprehensive police investigations, however, does not elaborate on the nature of the 2008 terror incidents. It was the year when on November 26, some 10 terrorists attacked prime locations in Mumbai killing many, including foreign tourists. In its initial investigations, the authorities had been unable to link him to any terror plot.
The investigations are being conducted by the anti-terrorist squad (ATS) now preparing a watertight case against Sardana, who is a chartered accountant by profession and son of former Major General in Dehradun.
Goa Cyber Crime Cell, internet service providers and related agencies assisting ATS have managed to crack only 6 of the 35 e-mail IDs created by Sardana.
“Sardana has a peculiar style of transmitting data to others and the same is not found easily on his system for which technical assistance is sought to analyse the same. Also exploring the possibilities of him using any sort of forensic tools to manipulate his data,” the reply states.
Sardana was arrested while spending time at Vasco railway station on February 1. The investigation agency seized six passports of which five were later found to be cancelled. The initial probe found he was holding digital information on bombs and photographs of certain locations. Sardana had denied his involvement in any crime or association with terrorist groups. He had also accused the police of harassing him while in custody because of his interest in Islam despite being a Hindu. The court had granted him conditional bail on February 11.
