BHUBANESWAR (TIP): A team of Odisha police is likely to visit Delhi next week to interrogate two Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives, who did a ‘recce’ of Bhubaneswar, Puri and Cuttack in January. The two IM members, Tehsin Akhtar and Waqas, were arrested by the special cell of Delhi Police in March and brought to Bhubaneswar for interrogation in early April.

“During the joint probe by commissionerate of police and Delhi Police, the two IM operatives did not disclose much about the purpose of their visit. We need a second round of interrogation as part of our follow-up action. We will send a team of special branch officers to Delhi soon,” said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.

Though Akhtar and Waqas stayed for over two weeks in two low-budget hotels near the railway station here and toured Puri and Cuttack, the intelligence wing (special branch) of Odisha police had no idea about their stay. Surprisingly, no one from the special branch showed interest to interrogate the two operatives when Delhi Police brought them earlier this month.

Director (intelligence) Sunil Roy parried the question as to why he or his staff did not quiz the duo. “We do not directly intervene in such matter. DIG, SP or DSP of concerned places, the IM operatives visited, should have interrogated them,” the senior IPS officer said.

The commissionerate of police said they have wrapped up their investigation, relating to stay of Akhtar and Waqas in Bhubaneswar. Asked whether the police registered a case suo motu against the duo, commissioner of police R P Sharma replied in the negative. “We would have registered a case had we got slightest proof of ‘crime manifestation’ against them. During interrogation, the duo said they came here on leisure trip,” Sharma said.