Missing link in probe: Headley’s ‘African associate’ in Mumbai

While a mention of the mysterious African associate came after questioning a Headley contact,the link resurfaced once text messages sent by Rahul Bhatt to Headley — from the phone left behind in the suitcase — were scrutinized. One SMS sent by Bhatt mentions “a born-again ni…r (derogatory reference to a Black)”

The Mumbai hotel employee has taken this trail further. While she said she had no inkling of Headley’s “Pakistani identity” or his terror links,she said he would often go “pillion-riding on the motorcycle of a black African” in and around Mumbai.

Incidentally,this woman has told investigators that she was in touch with Headley — via phone,SMS and email —until as late as September 14,2009 — a fortnight before he was arrested by the FBI in Chicago.

Call Detail Records (CDRs) of Headley’s Moroccan girlfriend,sources said,threw up some red herrings. On it was the number of a New Jersey-based US national,who has since been identified and his travel details revealed that in 2009 he visited Rishikesh and Manali and then — along with a Russian woman — left for Goa.

The couple is yet to be traced.

While it is now confirmed that the Moroccan woman stayed with Headley in the Taj Hotel during his first stay there (April 28-30,2007),details provided by the immigration office show that she was scheduled to take a Karachi flight on May 3,2007 but was off-loaded since she reported sick and left two days later.

She again crossed into India from the Attari-Wagah land route on May 4,2008,and returned to Pakistan only on July 17. Her visa,which was earlier valid till July 3,was extended till the date she left for Pakistan.

A scrutiny of Headley’s monetary transactions in India has also been carried out. The secretary he employed has revealed that “business” was quite poor. Scores of applicants who were “interviewed” by Headley and Rana have also said that nothing “tangible” came out of their attempts to migrate to the US and Canada through Headley’s immigration centre.

A pattern of both Headley and Rana making “business-related” payments with cash has been mapped with Headley now known to have received funds via Western Union money transfer facilities. However,while staying in 5-star hotels,Headley used credit cards. For instance,he settled a bill of Rs 22,837 for his second stay in Taj Hotel (May 3,2007) using his MasterCard but used his American Express card when he paid Rs 30,000 for his stay in the Oberoi Trident (April 30-May 2,2007).

Also,in a two-year period,he ran up a purchase bill of Rs 2.4 lakh for goods bought mostly in Mumbai. One of the cards,scrutiny has revealed,was also used in August 2007 in Morocco and,in May 2008,in Australia.

The shopping sprees of both Headley and Rana were clearly a “cover” since most of the goods bought were left behind by them. Besides a packed suitcase,fax machine and golf set,Headley also dumped copies of the Quran,Bible and Bhagwat Gita he had purchased in Mumbai.

Rana and his wife,Samraz Rana Akhtar,their relatives have said,also fit the pattern. Samraz’s cousin,with whom the couple spent a night in Navi Mumbai,revealed that their guests showed “great urgency” to visit Centre One,a shopping mall located close to their house,but left behind all clothes and accessories they bought for Rs 6,500 when they left for Meerut and Delhi.