NEW DELHI, Dec 7:
Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today said he will have a look at the mercy petition of Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru only after the Winter Session of Parliament.
He said the file related to the mercy petition of Guru, returned by President Pranab Mukherjee for review by him, was still with the Home Ministry.
“When Parliament is over, I will ask what is the status (of Guru’s file). It is in the Ministry but has not come to me yet. I have to see his file in detail. I have to see it in depth,” he said at the “Agenda-Aaj Tak” programme here organised by TV Today Group.
The ongoing Winter Session of Parliament will come to an end on December 20.
Asked about the secrecy that was maintained regarding hanging of 2008 Mumbai attack terrorist Ajmal Kasab, Shinde said such operations should always be kept a secret.
“If terrorists can maintain secrecy about their attacks, why cannot the Government keep secrets,” he said.
The Home Minister said his experience of having worked as a police sub-inspector and also as Maharashtra Chief Minister had helped him in secretly carrying out along the plan of execution of Kasab in Yerawada jail in Pune on November 21.
In a veiled attack on Pakistan, Shinde said the 1993 serial bombings in Mumbai were the result of a neighbour’s envy to India’s economic progress and vowed to bring back all terrorists, including Dawood Ibrahim, to face trial here.
He also said that the neighbour is still trying to weaken country’s economy by pumping fake Indian currency notes.
“We launched the economic reforms in 1991 and subsequently India had achieved rapid economic progress. But a neighbour became envious of our development. Soon, there were 13 blasts in Mumbai (in 1993),” he said.
Shinde said all fugitive terrorists, including the 1993 Mumbai blasts mastermind Dawood Ibrahim, would be brought back to India and punished for their crime.
“Not only Dawood but other terrorists sitting in safe havens will be brought back to India to face trial. We are working with some international organisations,” he said.
Last month, addressing the Interpol General Assembly in Rome, Shinde had said the masterminds of the heinous serial blasts are sitting in safe havens in Pakistan which has taken no action against them despite being provided with credible evidence.
Referring to circulation of fake Indian currency notes, the Home Minister said the nefarious design was being carried out by a neighbouring country to destroy India’s economy.
“We are taking a number of steps to check the menace as economic security is paramount,” he said.
The Home Minister said Interpol must take certain steps to apprehend those fugitives who are sitting in safe havens and getting official patronage.
Shinde said after 2008 Mumbai terror attack, the Government has strengthened its intelligence gathering mechanism and was now in a better position to deal with terrorists in comparison to what it was to a few years ago.
“Due to increased vigil, we have been able to bust 19 terror module in 2012,” he said, adding intensified vigilance was also helping security agencies to track down terrorists.
Shinde said so far the central Government has spent Rs 12,000 crore for the modernisation of police forces and another Rs 5,000 crore will be spent for the purpose in the next five years. (PTI)
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