Probe against cops for terror 145;lapses146;

The House had discussed the Opposition8217;s adjournment motion on the Mumbai terror issue on Tuesday as well and on Wednesday, the newly-appointed state Home Minister replied to the debate, but dwelled more on details of the actual attacks rather than on the issue of the Government8217;s culpability. He also defended the Mumbai Police who, he said, acted promptly and valiantly. The Home Minister added that a special court would be set up to try the terror case and a chargesheet would be filed against surviving terrorist Ajmal Kasab within 60 days. Ujjwal Nikam has been chosen as Special Public Prosecutor in the case, he added.

Patil also unveiled a plan to check future attacks see box. He said, advisories intelligence inputs received by the state were general in scope and did not specify when and where the attacks would happen.

The Home Minister also denied that an advisory mentioned by the BJP8217;s Devendra Fadnavis had ever been received. Fadnavis, however, maintained he had reports of it being sent and that it was 8220;issued by IB Joint Director Prabhakar Alok on November 21.8221; Its reference number was 8220;PIBUO No 21/ITF-7 Nodal/200823-44058221;, he added, and said it contained details about the attack. He also insisted that Roy and Gafoor knew about it. The BJP8217;s Eknath Khadse added that if politicians could take responsibility and quit, it was not fair to let officials escape blame. 8220;Were they also not responsible?8221; he asked.

In another allegation, leader of Opposition Ramdas Kadam alleged that slain encounter specialist Vinay Salaskar had moved to slap MCOCCA against a prominent gutka manufacturer linked to Karachi-based underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. 8220;But DGP Roy stopped him. The Government hasn8217;t removed Roy despite the court indicting the Government on his out-of-turn appointment as DGP,8221; Kadam alleged.

Mumbai8217;s anti-terror plan

8226; Setting up a State Security Council on the lines of the Centre8217;s National Security Council

8226; Starting a special NSG-type commando force called Force One

8226; Adding more bomb disposal squads

8226; Recruitment of 85 dedicated intelligence personnel within two months. They would not be liable to transfer to other police departments and would be brought in directly and not through the Maharashtra Public Service Commission

8226; Training state police personnel in some of world8217;s best-known police departments in terror combat operations. Patil said that he had already spoken to the Chicago Police about combat training for Mumbai cops

8226; Purchasing 36 fast, bullet-proof boats

8226; Latest 250 MP5 guns to be given to proposed Maharashtra commandos

8226; 41 landing points along the coast to be manned by security personnel

8226; Subjecting crowded private premises like malls and hotels to security audits

8226; Insitutionalising an identification system for fishermen and maintaining an account of those going in and out of coastal areas