Headley Tried to Befriend a Shiv Sena Member and Rahul Bhatt

Headley had been briefed to develop ties with a key Shiv Sena member as the LeT hoped to target Sena HQ and chief.

Pakistani-American accused-turned-approver in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, David Coleman Headley, told a Mumbai court on Friday that he tried to develop close relations with a Shiv Sena member as he thought that the Lashkar-e-Taiba might want to target either Sena Bhawan or “assassinate its head”, a reference to Bal Thackeray.

I met one Rajaram Rege inside Shiv Sena Bhawan in Dadar during 2006-2007. I attempted to develop a closer relationship with him. I was interested in accessing that building (Shiv Sena Bhawan) at that time. I thought LeT would be interested in the future to either attack the Shiv Sena Bhawan or assassinate its head.

David Headley, Co-Conspirator, 26/11

Headley was answering questions put to him by Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam regarding the people in Mumbai with whom he had developed friendly relations. The 55-year-old, who recently turned approver in the 26/11 case, also told the court that he had joined ‘Moksh’ gym in south Mumbai in 2006-2007 and had developed relations with Vilas Warke, who was in-charge of the gym, and also Rahul Bhatt, who was a friend of Vilas.

I met Rahul Bhatt through Vilas at a body building competition. Rahul’s father (Mahesh Bhatt) is in the movie business. 

David Headley, Co-Conspirator, 26/11

Rahul, a fitness trainer and an aspiring film actor, had been in the news in 2009, following revelations that Headley, an accused in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, had befriended him.