Kasab Was to Die as ‘Samir Chaudhari’: Ex-Top Cop Rakesh Maria

LeT’s plan was to have Kasab tie a red thread around his wrist to make 26/11 seem like a Hindu terror attack.

File image of Ajmal Kasab during the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Terrorist Ajmal Kasab would have died as ‘Samir Dinesh Chaudhari’ had Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) succeeded in its plan, revealed former Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria in his memoir, ‘Let Me Say It Now’. LeT’s plan was to have Kasab, who was hanged after being convicted for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that took place in 2008, tie a red thread around his wrist.

Maria reportedly reveals in his book that the terror outfit wanted to project the 26/11 attack as an act of Hindu terror, reports News18. The aim was to reportedly project Ajmal Kasab as a Bengaluru resident named Samir Dinesh Chaudhari.

Maria also reportedly reveals in his book that keeping Kasab alive became his first priority as ‘anger and hostility towards him were perceptible (among Mumbai police personnel). Apart from this, Pakistan’s ISI and LeT were also ‘bent upon eliminating him by hook or crook to obliterate the only living evidence of their heinous deed’. 

The former Mumbai top cop also disclosed that Dawood Ibrahim’s gang was given the responsibility to kill Ajmal Kasab, reports News18.

From Committing ‘Robberies’ to ‘Jihad’

The book reportedly reveals that Kasab had initially joined LeT for committing robberies and had ‘nothing to do with Jihad’. Kasab and his friend Muzaffar Lal Khan allegedly wanted to commit robberies to improve their financial status. They wanted to undergo training and get their hands on weapons for this.

After receiving three rounds of training, Kasab was reportedly given Rs 1,25,000 and a week-long holiday. Maria writes that Kasab gave the money to his family for his sister's wedding.

“Kasab seriously believed that Muslims were not allowed to offer namaaz in India, and mosques were locked up by the authorities. He felt that the azaan he heard five times a day in the crime branch lockup was just a figment of his imagination. When we came to know of this, I instructed Mahale (investigating officer Ramesh Mahale) to take him to the mosque near the metro cinema in a vehicle.” 

Rakesh Maria, as quoted by <a href="https://www.news18.com/news/india/with-sacred-thread-around-wrist-kasab-was-supposed-to-die-as-samir-chaudhari-reveals-former-mumbai-top-cop-2504909.html">News18 </a>

Maria reportedly wrote that his daily interrogation of Ajmal Kasab gave him a deep insight into the psyche of how terrorist outfits operated.

“Our daily interactions forged some sort of a bond between Kasab and me, and soon Kasab began addressing me respectfully as ‘Janab’ (sir).”

Rakesh Maria, as quoted by <a href="https://www.news18.com/news/india/with-sacred-thread-around-wrist-kasab-was-supposed-to-die-as-samir-chaudhari-reveals-former-mumbai-top-cop-2504909.html">News18 </a>