Rahul Bhatt who befriended 26/11 mastermind David Coleman Headley is unhappy about the punishment meted out to Headley by the US courts. Rahul speaks To Subhash K Jha

A lot of us feel disappointed at the US court's verdict?
Yes. David Headley has been sentenced only to 35 years. In an American prison that doesn't amount to a hill of beans. They treat their prisoners like guests. You get every facility including conjugal rights. It should have been 35 years in an Indian prison where he would have rotted.

So would you have preferred him to be in India?
He should have been extradited to India. Because of the complicity of the American intelligence agencies that has not been done. He was an undercover agent trying to penetrate the Al-Qaida. What happened there ? We'll never know.

The truth could've only come out if he was extradited. Now it's over. They've put a closure on the case. The interrogation was done in a pre-planned doctored atmosphere. The three officers interrogating Headley were asked certain questions and not to ask others.

Have you been keenly following the Headley case?
I had to! Counter-terrorism is my forte now. After what I've gone through I wanted to see where the trail of the trial would finally lead to. I was hoping it wouldn't have been a deadend.

If Headley had been brought back to India would it have given you personal satisfaction after the way he betrayed your trust?
What he did to me is immaterial. The permanent damage he caused to those 69 victims of the 26/11 attack is what should concern all of us. For their sake Headley should have been brought back to India where he would have faced criminal trial in India. Then the courts here would have decided whether to hang him or whether to give him a life sentence.


Would the court verdict on Headley add to your book's sales?
Of course. Headley& I has already sold out in the first print. I am sure it will sell even more now.

Producer Sunil Bohra has bought the movie rights of your book. Happy?
It's awesome. My co-author Hussain Zaidi and I don't have a say in the making of the film. But I've offered to be a consultant on the movie project.

Would you like to write the screenplay?
Of course! I am a writer's son, remember? It's in the genes.

You seem to have patched up with your father Mahesh Bhatt Saab?
Oh yes! We're started on a clean state. 24 January was a milestone for me. It was my birthday and also the day Headley was sentenced. And now me and my Dad have put the past behind us on my birthday. We're on a much more comfortable footing.

I believe your sister Pooja Bhatt played a pivotal part in patching you up with your father?
Oh yes. When it comes to me, she is a lioness defending her little cub. We're both there for one another. That's what family is for.


So you are rediscovering the joy of family ties?
Yes, nothing matters more. My father has always been there whenever I've had a probem, be it Ranvir Shorey, David Headley or XYZ.

If you had to describe your feelings for David Headley in one word at this point of time which word would you choose?
Contempt.