#Bombayphile - Company of Woman : David Headley's Secret Girlfriend
Have you watched Ram Gopal Verma's 1998 movie Satya? Urmila Matondar plays the role of Singer Vidya, who is jolted when she learns that Satya, whom she loved, was a wanted gangster. Just before the cops shoot him dead, Satya attempts to meet Vidya one last time. However, a terrified Vidya refuses to open the door. A similar story unfolded in real life, linked to the 26/11 attacks. The only difference is that in the movie, Satya truly loves Vidya, but in the real-life story, the man uses the lady for his diabolical designs.
In 2009, the FBI nets a Pakistani-American named David Headley at the Chicago airport. His interrogation reveals chilling information about the Mumbai attacks. The Pakistan-based terrorist organization Lashkar e Toiyba had tasked Headley with reconnaissance of potential targets in Mumbai, taking their pictures, and recording GPS coordinates. Headley performed his job diligently, traveling to Mumbai seven times between 2007-08. In Mumbai, he befriended a few people, including filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's son Rahul and his gym instructor Vilas Varak. Headley hung around with them, gathering information about the targeted locations. However, not many know that he had another friend in the city - a beautiful businesswoman.
Headley chose to scout for targets in south Mumbai and rented a room in Hotel Outram near the CSMT railway station. He often visited Colaba's Nariman House, housing a Jewish cultural center, to understand the area's topography and security arrangements. With a sweet tooth for pastries, he bought them from a small cake shop close to the Jewish center while returning. The bakery, run by a beautiful lady in her late twenties, became familiar to Headley in two to three visits. The lady fell for the tall, fair, and chivalrous man with an amazing sense of humor. They soon started dating.
Whenever Headley scouted for targets in the city, he took her along. From Leopold Cafe to the various restaurants of Hotel Taj Mahal and Hotel Trident, the lady accompanied him, and he took pictures and GPS coordinates of the places he visited. All the while, the lady was unaware of Headley's evil intentions. She started envisioning Headley as her life partner. The company of a woman while visiting potential targets helped Headley preempt any suspicion from security agencies, as he was passed off as a tourist. The Lashkar planned attacks at most of the places that Headley marked.
After Headley’s arrest, US investigators came across the lady’s name and passed it on to their counterparts in Mumbai. The crime branch of Mumbai Police summoned her, and they recorded her statement. The cops didn’t arrest her since she had no knowledge of the conspiracy. She left India for a brief period after the interrogation. Headley agreed to become an approver and deposed before a special court in Mumbai via video connection from the US jail where he is lodged.
In the annals of espionage, David Headley's secret girlfriend in Mumbai becomes a tragic character, entwined in a narrative of betrayal and manipulation. Her unwitting role in the sinister plot serves as a stark reminder that reality, at times, can be more chilling than fiction.
In 2009, the FBI nets a Pakistani-American named David Headley at the Chicago airport. His interrogation reveals chilling information about the Mumbai attacks. The Pakistan-based terrorist organization Lashkar e Toiyba had tasked Headley with reconnaissance of potential targets in Mumbai, taking their pictures, and recording GPS coordinates. Headley performed his job diligently, traveling to Mumbai seven times between 2007-08. In Mumbai, he befriended a few people, including filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's son Rahul and his gym instructor Vilas Varak. Headley hung around with them, gathering information about the targeted locations. However, not many know that he had another friend in the city - a beautiful businesswoman.
Headley chose to scout for targets in south Mumbai and rented a room in Hotel Outram near the CSMT railway station. He often visited Colaba's Nariman House, housing a Jewish cultural center, to understand the area's topography and security arrangements. With a sweet tooth for pastries, he bought them from a small cake shop close to the Jewish center while returning. The bakery, run by a beautiful lady in her late twenties, became familiar to Headley in two to three visits. The lady fell for the tall, fair, and chivalrous man with an amazing sense of humor. They soon started dating.
Whenever Headley scouted for targets in the city, he took her along. From Leopold Cafe to the various restaurants of Hotel Taj Mahal and Hotel Trident, the lady accompanied him, and he took pictures and GPS coordinates of the places he visited. All the while, the lady was unaware of Headley's evil intentions. She started envisioning Headley as her life partner. The company of a woman while visiting potential targets helped Headley preempt any suspicion from security agencies, as he was passed off as a tourist. The Lashkar planned attacks at most of the places that Headley marked.
After Headley’s arrest, US investigators came across the lady’s name and passed it on to their counterparts in Mumbai. The crime branch of Mumbai Police summoned her, and they recorded her statement. The cops didn’t arrest her since she had no knowledge of the conspiracy. She left India for a brief period after the interrogation. Headley agreed to become an approver and deposed before a special court in Mumbai via video connection from the US jail where he is lodged.
In the annals of espionage, David Headley's secret girlfriend in Mumbai becomes a tragic character, entwined in a narrative of betrayal and manipulation. Her unwitting role in the sinister plot serves as a stark reminder that reality, at times, can be more chilling than fiction.
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