Diggy releases records of Karkare call, wants Patil`s apology

New Delhi, Jan 4 (PTI) Under attack over his claim about
a call from Hemant Karkare, Congress leader Digvijay Singh
on Tuesday produced record of the conversation the slain ATS
chief had with him on 26/11 and sought apology from
Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil and all others who had
dubbed him a "liar".
Singh released the details of the call records he
obtained from India's major telecommunication company BSNL's
Bhopal office at a press conference here, three weeks after
his remarks about the call created a controversy which even
resulted in the AICC distancing itself from the matter.
"People called me a liar...I was dubbed a traitor and a
Pakistani agent. It pained me that Mumbai Police made
selective leaks saying that there were no records of the talks
between me and Karkare."
"It was all the more painful for me when the Maharashtra
Home Minister said in the state Assembly that no such call was
made. All those who have dubbed me a liar and have put a
question mark on my honesty, sincerity and credibility should
apologise or at least express regrets now when I have produced
documents," Singh said.
He said a letter from BSNL about the call records proves
what he had said. "The call came from his (Karkare's) office
landline on my mobile phone number 9425015461," Singh said
adding that Karkare's number was the official telephone number
of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad.
According to the records released by Singh, the ATS chief
rang him up at 17.44 hours and the conversation continued for
more than six minutes. Hours later, Karkare was killed in the
26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
The Congress General Secretary had stoked a controversy
with his claim that Karkare had called him on the day of the
Mumbai terror strikes, saying that he feared for his safety
from Hindu extremists.
He later asserted that he had never doubted the role of
Pakistani elements in 26/11 strikes and had never said that
right-wing activists were behind the terror attacks. "But, it
is a fact that I am on record saying that he (Karkare) was
being threatened by some right-wing activists," he had said.
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