Nepal Police has sent at least 15 Indian phone numbers through Interpol to counterpart authorities in India for verification that could lead to important cues to the mystery.[break]
The Indian phone numbers were among those that contacted Nepali cell phone numbers used by Manmeet Singh, the purported contract-killer who shot at Central Jail inmate Yunus Ansari and aides during the latter´s month-long stay in the capital.
Prospects of unearthing the ´source and motive´ behind the March 10 shooting that blatantly flouted security at the nation´s largest jail were deemed bleak until investigating officials luckily stumbled on a Nepali cell phone number (9813162464) used by Singh and his aides, and traced its call history.
Republica has gotten hold of the list of Indian phone numbers through police sources that requested anonymity owing to the sensitivity of the case. The numbers include 9792664666, 819005807200, 819005807200, 918400246815 and 919760365855. The most important number, officials said, is 9792664666, which reportedly belonged to Singh´s friend Ajay and was frequently used to contact Ramu and Suresh Dwibedi. These two were among the five Indian nationals who are believed to have stayed in the capital to plot the Central Jail shooting.
Investigating officials have also come across Singh´s mobile number (9044158700) and the landline number of his home (05222423206) in Lucknow.
Officials were repeatedly bluffed by the hitman during interrogations. He had provided three totally wrong numbers to distract the investigations. But the fluke find of a single paper chit mentioning that Ncell number changed the direction of the investigations.
“Given all these findings, we are looking forward to cooperative response from the Indians,” said an official involved in investigations. “Provided the response is as prompt as in the Jamim murder case, we will move onto a substantial phase. The mystery can then be solved.”
Besides the phone numbers, Nepal Police have also asked Indian counterparts about the identity of Singh himself and his purported background as a contract-killer. Singh was sent into judicial custody last week on a chargesheet for the first count-- illegal arms possession. Metropolitan Police Range Kathmandu (MPRK) is going to chargesheet him for attempted murder, at Kathmandu District Court on Sunday.
Singh, 42, had opened fire on M. Yunus Ansari, who has been serving time at the Central Jail since the past year on fake currency and drugs charges, at the jail visiting lounge. He entered the lounge dodging all security arrangements. He was overpowered by security personnel after firing five rounds only one of which injured Ansari, in the arm.
Singh, who hired Nepali legal counsel a few days ago to help him with court proceedings, studied for two years at a popular private school in Kathmandu while he was here with his parents, it came to light of late. “He studied in grades 2 and 3,” an official said. “So he has moderate knowledge of Nepali.”
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