'Bullet that killed 26/11 hero was not fired from...': Congress leader blames 'RSS-linked cop' for killing Hemant Karkare

Maharashtra Leader of Opposition Vijay Namdevrao Wadettiwar sparked controversy by claiming that a police officer affiliated with the RSS, not terrorist Ajmal Kasab, was responsible for killing former state anti-terrorism squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar criticized Ujjwal Nikam, the BJP candidate from Mumbai North Central, in connection with Hemant Karkare. Nikam served as the public prosecutor in the 26/11 terror attack trial, where Ajmal Kasab was sentenced to death.

"Nikam defamed Congress by raising the issue of biryani. Will anyone give biryani to Kasab? Later, Ujjwal Nikam accepted it, what kind of a lawyer is he, a traitor who did not even testify in the court? The bullet that killed Mumbai Police officer Hemant Karkare was not fired from Kasab's gun, but from a police officer loyal to RSS at that time. If the BJP is giving a ticket to a traitor who hid this truth from the court, then the question arises of why is BJP supporting these traitors?" said Wadettiwar.

Reacting to Wadettiwar's statement, BJP's National General Secretary Vinod Tawde said, "Congress can stoop to any level to please and get its special vote bank. Senior leader of Maharashtra Congress and LoP Vijay Wadettiwar proved this by giving a clean chit to the terrorists of 26/11. According to him, Kasab did not shoot at martyr Hemant Karkare ji. Did Congress not feel ashamed at all while supporting the terrorists? Today the whole country has also come to know why prayers are being offered in Pakistan for the victory of Congress and the prince."

Wadettiwar later clarified that he was citing information from a book authored by SM Mushrif.

"Those are not my words. I just said what was written in SM Mushrif's book. The book had complete information. The bullet with which Hemant Karkare was shot was not a terrorist's bullet," he said.

Wadettiwar was citing information from SM Mushrif's book titled 'Who Killed Karkare', published in 2009. SM Mushrif is a former Inspector General of Police and the brother of Maharashtra Minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Hasan Mushrif.

"Hemant Karkare was not killed by terrorists' bullets. This is written in the book of police officer SM Mushrif. Why did Ujjwal Nikam not bring this to the fore? Police officer SM Mushrif has written in his book that Hemant Karkare was killed by a bullet, and that bullet is not of extremists (terrorists)... It is not a big deal to hang Ajmal Kasab, any ordinary lawyer or bailout lawyer could have done this," he said.

Hemant Karkare, who lost his life during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, was posthumously honored with the Ashok Chakra, India's highest bravery award.

Ujjwal Nikam represented the government in the case until the terrorist Kasab, who was captured alive during the 26/11 Mumbai attack, was executed. Nikam is contesting against Congress's Varsha Gaikwad for the Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha seat.