A top police official on Friday informed the Mumbai special court that he had granted sanction to intercept telephone calls of the terrorists during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
Parambir Singh, the then additional commissioner of police (ATS), said a subordinate officer in charge of service had informed them that terrorists were using four mobile phones and police wanted to intercept the calls to find out the details of the conversation they were having with their Pakistani handlers.
Accordingly, Singh who could accord such sanction under Indian Telgraph Act, gave permission in this regard.
Prosecution examined Singh as a witness to show the court that procedure for interception of telephone calls was properly followed, Special Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said.
The prosecution is relying on telephonic talks between terrorists and their handlers as evidence to show that Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba had carried out the Mumbai attacks.
The CDs of telephonic conversation of 48-hour duration would be played in the court, Nikam said.
Judge M L Tahaliyani said he would hear only a portion to of the CD to see it was a reliable evidence.
Parambir Singh, now special inspector general of police (Konkan), deposed before the court in uniform.
The lone surviving terrorist, Ajmal Kasab, sought permission of the court to go to his cell as he was unwell. His request was granted, but the judge told him to return in half-an-hour. PTI
