NEW DELHI: A report says state police chief Lokanath Behera was ousted from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for revealing the arrest of Indian Mujahideen terrorist Yaseen Bhatkal. A Malayalam daily reported this citing ministry of home affairs. The report says NIA released the order ousting Behera the night he revealed the arrest of Bhatkal. The congress had alleged that Behera was elevated as DGP as a reward for giving Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah a clean chit in the Gujarat riots case. During his stint with the NIA in 2010, Behera had interrogated David Coleman Headley, Lashkar-e-Taiba operative, in a prison in US. The report has mentioned that allegations were levelled against Behera during his journey to USA. Headley had reportedly deposed before a Mumbai court in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that Israt was a LeT operative.

Meantime, it has been alleged that CPM central leadership was against Behera’s elevation. They had opined that his elevation was not a proper action.