26//11 witness says she was taken to US for probe
Press Trust of India
Thursday, January 15, 2009 7:42 PM (Mumbai)
Anita Uddaiya, the woman who saw the six terrorists involved in the November 26 terror attacks arrive in the city, claims she was taken to the US and questioned by investigating agencies there.
"I was informed that the (US) officers who questioned me about the Mumbai attacks here earlier would take me to America. They came on Sunday morning and had taken me to America in a flight," Uddaiya said.
"I had lied to the police when I returned home stating that I went to Satara district as the officers told me not to disclose anything about my visit to America," Uddaiya said. Uddaiya went missing on Sunday morning and returned to Mumbai on Wednesday at around 1.30 AM to her home.
She had seen the terrorists land in a rubber dinghy on the beach at the colony. But when she asked them where they had come from, she was told to mind her own business. Giving details, she said on Saturday at around 10.00 PM, the investigating officers were supposed to come to her home.
"Since we were informed about Uddiaya's America visit, we sat with her throughout the night waiting for the American investigators. Nobody turned up till morning 5 AM. At that time, Uddaiya went to toilet from where she was whisked away by the investigators," said Madhusudhan Nair, president of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Nagar slum area where Uddaiya resides.
Uddaiya said four officers were inside the posh vehicle and one of them knew Hindi. "First, I was taken to St George Hospital to see my husband Rajendra. I told him that I would return home in a couple of days," Uddaiya said.
"From the hospital I was taken to airport", Uddaiya said adding "I was sitting in the airport while they (officers) were showing all the documents to the officials at the airport. I had no luggage with me. After sometime, I boarded the flight but I was feeling uncomfortable," Uddaiya recalled.
Uddaiya, who spent 17-18 hours in her flight to the US, said she was told "we were heading to America. I could not eat in the flight properly as they were serving chocolates, sandwiches and some other stuff. I don't know how I managed to eat that food."
"I was taken to a posh hotel in a car soon after I landed in America. After a couple of hours, we all went to a building where I was asked several questions about the terrorists and Mumbai attacks," she said. She said she was asked about the terrorists whom she had seen landing at Mumbai.
"The questions were translated in Hindi by one of them and whatever answers I had given were also explained to them in English. Everything was over in two to three hours."
"I even called Hamid Qureshi (a scrap dealer where she works in Mumbai) telling him that I am safe," she said adding she was taken to the hotel subsequently and then to the airport to board a flight back to Mumbai.
On returning home in a taxi from Mumbai airport, she said she was confused and surprised at what was happening around her. "I told the police that I had been to Satara as investigators (American officers) told me not to reveal anything about the American visit," she said.
On her return, Uddaiya said she was taken to Cuffe Parade police station for recording her statement.
After the Mumbai attacks, Uddaiya had also been shown pictures of ten terrorists but she was not taken to J J Hospital to identify the bodies of the terrorists, she said. "Since I was unwilling to do so, the Mumbai police did not take me to J J hospital," she said.
Uddaiya, who deals in scrap, had been living with her husband, daughter and son in the colony of Cuffe Parade in south Mumbai.
NDTV.com: 26//11 witness says she was taken to US for probe
