New Delhi
17 December 2009
South Block tied itself into knots trying to explain the facts surrounding the
alleged mysterious disappearance of the documents, on the basis of which terror
suspects David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana were issued visas by
the Indian Consulate in Chicago.
Union Minister of State of External Affairs Shashi Tharoor told reporters here Thursday
that "Rana's visa papers have been found [but] we are tracing those of Headley's[.]" But
a statement put out by the Ministry of External Affairs spokesman said that it would be
erroneous to conclude that the documents are missing.
MEA Spokesman Vishnu Prakash said: "It would not be accurate to conclude that these
visa applications are missing. All relevant information in this regard is being shared with
the investigating agencies."
Prakash clarified that the visas in question were issued to Headley and Rana on 18 July
2007 and 3 March 2006. A one-year business visa was issued to Rana on 31 October
2008.
The MEA clarification came the day after Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said here that
she has sought a factual report from the Indian consulate in Chicago following the
alleged disappearance of the visa information from the consulate.
For his part, Minister of External Affairs SM Krishna said that South Block will wait for a
preliminary report from the Indian Consulate before formulating an appropriate response.
"After I get the report, we will see how we can proceed with it. I do not pre-judge anything
that has appeared in the media but certainly Government is aware of its responsibilities
and we will discharge that," Mr Krishna said.
Headley (49) and Rana (48) were issued multi-entry visas at the discretion of the Indian
Consul-General in Chicago and both had travelled to India on these visas. While
Headley was issued a five-year multi-entry business visa in July 2007, Rana was given
a one-year business visa and both were also exempted from police reporting if their stay
was less than 180 days at a single stretch.
Headley, who changed his name in order to present himself as an American who was
neither Muslim nor Pakistani, made five trips to Mumbai -- in September 2006, February
and September 2007, and April and July 2008. Each time, he took pictures and made
videos of various targets, including the locations attacked in the 26 November 2008
terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
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