New Delhi:
Under attack over his claim about a call from Hemant Karkare, Congress leader Digvijay Singh today produced record of the conversation the slain ATS chief had with him on 26/11 and sought apology from Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil and all others who had dubbed him a "liar".
Singh released the details of the call records he obtained from BSNL's Bhopal office at a press conference, three weeks after his remarks about the call created a controversy which even resulted in the party distancing itself from the matter.
"People called me a liar...I was dubbed a traitor and a Pakistani agent. It pained me that Mumbai Police made selective leaks saying that there were no records of the talks between me and Karkare."
"It was all the more painful for me when the Maharashtra Home Minister said in the state Assembly that no such call was made. All those who have dubbed me a liar and have put a question mark on my honesty, sincerity and credibility should apologise or at least express regrets now when I have produced documents," Singh said.
He said a letter from BSNL about the call records proves what he had said. "The call came from his (Karkare's) office landline on my mobile phone number" Singh said adding that Karkare's number was the official telephone number of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad.
According to the records released by Singh, the ATS chief rang him up at 17.44 hours and the conversation continued for more than six minutes. Hours later, Karkare was killed in the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
The Congress General Secretary had stoked a controversy with his claim that Karkare had called him on the day of the Mumbai terror strikes, saying that he feared for his safety from Hindu extremists.
He later asserted that he had never doubted the role of Pakistani elements in 26/11 strikes and had never said that right-wing activists were behind the terror attacks. "But, it is a fact that I am on record saying that he (Karkare) was being threatened by some right-wing activists," he had said.