Pune:US terror suspect David Headley visited the Osho Ashram here twice during 2008 and 2009, a top police official said on Tuesday.
"Headley stayed in the city for a day in June 2008 and March 2009 and visited the
Ashram, frequented by foreigners," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ravindra
Sengaonkar said.
Sengaonkar further quoted Ashram officials as saying that Headley also visited the
establishment at Koregaon for meditation.
Headley, who is said to be one of the main culprits behind the 26/11 terrorist attacks in
India, is said to have visited Pune on a business visa and later left for Mumbai.
Addressing the media, Joint Commissioner of Police, Rajinder Sonone, said: "Yesterday
after receiving the letter from Osho International Community, we came to know that
David Headley, the American passport holder visited Osho in Khelgaon park area in the
city and they handed over the letter to us that he had visited two times. First on 26th July,
2008 and second time on 16 November 2009."
"As per the legal provisions, Foreigners' Registration Act, Passport Act, on what terms
and conditions he has visited, whatever is there. As per the enquiry or investigations or
findings action will be taken about it. I don't know at this stage. I cannot say anything
unless and until it is verified enquired and investigated," he added.
Headley, who is said to be one of the main culprits behind the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist
attacks, is said to have visited Pune on a business visa and later left for Mumbai.
The National Investigating Agency (NIA) team, which recently visited here, has presented
all details of Headley's visit in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Amirti Sadhana, a spokesperson of the Osho Ashram, said that the ashram is
open to all and thousands visit here for meditation.
It is quite possible that Headley might have come here, we are fully cooperating in the
investigations, she added.
In Ahmedabad, activists of a regional party in Gujarat on Tuesday protested against
screening of Mahesh Bhatt's home production 'Tum Mile', following his son Rahul Bhatt's
alleged links with US terror suspect David Coleman Headley.
The protestors of the Mahagujarat Janshakti Party (MJP), gathered outside the Wide
Angle Cineplex in Ahmedabad and chanted slogans against the filmmaker.
According to reports, the protestors also set off crackers inside theatres and forced
viewers to vacate the premises.
The stir triggered following media reports that the mysterious name, Rahul, mentioned
extensively in Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative Headley's e-mails to handlers in Pakistan,
refers to Rahul Bhatt.
Though investigators said that Rahul was not aware that Headley had LeT links, media
reports suggest that it was Rahul who helped Headley rent a flat near Breach Candy
hospital and the two met at a gym where Rahul was a member.
The party had earlier ransacked a theatre in Rajkot and also has plans to protest
screening of the film in all single screen and multiplex theatres across the state.
