Anita Uddaiya says she was taken to US, questioned there

Mumbai, Jan 14 (PTI) 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 told PTI.

"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 yesterday at around 1.30 AM IST 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
IST, the investigating officers were supposed to come to her
home.

"Since we were informed about Uddaiya'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. PTI VM