Refuting allegations by their former boss that they dithered from "responding to the situation" during 26/11, some police officers said on Friday that they did not understand what prompted former Mumbai police commissioner Hassan Gafoor to make such remarks.
"I have submitted my report to the Pradhan Committee and I am sure it has been mentioned in their report submitted to the government. I know what I have done," said then Additional Commissioner of Police (Anti-Terrorism Squad) Parambir Singh, one of the officers named by Gafoor for not responding during the 26/11 terror attack. Claiming that he was the first senior officer to have reached Girgaum Chowpatty after a police team had captured lone surviving gunman Ajmal Kasab, Singh told PTI that "I was seen on several television channels at Hotel Taj and Oberoi. The whole nation must have seen me. I do not know how he (Gafoor) could make such a statement."
In an interview to a magazine, Gafoor had said "a section of senior police officers refused to be on the ground and take on the terrorists. By doing so, they chose to ignore the need of the hour." Apart from Singh, Gafoor has taken the names of K L Prasad, then Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Deven Bharti, the Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) and K Venkatesham, the then additional commissioner of police (Southern Region).
Reacting to the charges, Bharti said "I don't know what prompted Gafoor to make such statement. I don't believe in groupism. I don't want any certification from anyone. Whatever I have done is known to the Ram Pradhan Committee." While Venkatesham refused to comment saying he has not read the article, Prasad was unavailable for comments. Later, Singh also threatened to take legal action against Gafoor for making such "malicious charges" which has defamed him.
