Thaindian News

Mumbai, Jan 15 (IANS) Two days after she suddenly re-appeared, a key witness in the Mumbai terror attacks, Anita R. Uddaiya, claimed Thursday she was taken to the US for investigations by officials of that country.Uddaiya, 47, who was “missing” since Sunday, returned home early Wednesday. When questioned by the Mumbai Police, she said she had gone to meet her brother in Satara district.

A day later, she backtracked when reporters confronted her at her Colaba home in the evening.

Uddaiya said she had been alerted at least a fortnight ago that she may be taken to the US for investigations since she had seen the group of 10 terrorists landing at the Badhwar Park bay in Colaba Nov 26.

A group of four US officials picked her up in a car early Sunday morning and took her to an undisclosed location where she was questioned by the investigators, she claimed.

Prior to her US visit, the US officials took her for a brief visit to the St. George Hospital, near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus where her ailing husband was admitted. She told him that she was going out of town on a trip and expected to return in a couple of days.

She was reported “missing” since Sunday and her family members had lodged a complaint with the Cuffe Parade police station. Following the complaint, the police initiated efforts to trace her whereabouts before she suddenly resurfaced Wednesday.

When queried about her flip-flop statements, Uddaiya said she made the misleading statement since she was “scared” and had been reportedly told by the US investigators to keep her trip a secret.

Soon after the Nov 26 terror attacks, Uddaiya was taken to the government-run Sir J.J. Hospital to help identify the bodies of the nine terrorists killed during the 60-hour long operation by security forces.

Over 170 people were killed and 300 injured in the Mumbai terror attacks at 13 different locations in the city Nov 26.

One of the 10 terrorists - Mohammed Ajmal Amir, alias Kasab - was nabbed and he is presently under police custody.