NEW DELHI, Feb 9: An Indian suspect being probed in the wider conspiracy to stage the November terrorist attacks in Mumbai has accused a woman officer of the FBI of sexually abusing him during his interrogation, Indian news reports said on Monday.

The probe by the US agency took an unusual twist with Mr Faheem Ansari, one of the accused, saying a woman officer of the American agency who was interrogating the Mumbai suspect had physically abused him. Mr Ansari, who was picked up by the Uttar Pradesh police early last year in another terror attack has moved the court over his unusual accusation.

Ansari’s lawyer Ejaz Naqvi filed an application before an Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate. He alleged that a woman FBI officer had “sexually harrassed him all through the night”. No details of the nature of the alleged harassment were given.

The US investigating agency is handling part of the probe mandated by the death of American citizens in the November 26-29 carnage.

Moreover, Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Monday said FBI would give evidence, if necessary, in the trial. “Our investigation has been helped by FBI. If necessary, FBI will give evidence in the trial,” he said.

The Mumbai court issued a notice on Monday to the city police’s Crime Branch and directed it to file their reply to the application by February 26. The application also made a plea for Ansari to be sent for medical check-up as he has developed “itches and wounds all over his body”.

“Ansari had been interrogated by three FBI officers out of which one of them, a lady officer, had sexually abused him,” Mr Naqvi told the court.

Ansari had earlier filed an application seeking action against the city police for allegedly allowing the FBI to interrogate him.

Ansari is a suspected activist of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and is the prime accused in the attack on the Central Reserve Police Force camp at Rampur on January 1, 2008.

The bizarre allegation could be an attempt by Ansari to derail the investigation. However, given the notorious incidents of Abu Ghraib in which women officers were found to have abused Iraqi male prisoners, Ansari has made a potentially serious charge.

Ansari had earlier filed an application seeking action against the city police for allegedly allowing the FBI to interrogate him. The Crime Branch will have to file their reply on whether any foreign investigating agencies like the FBI had been allowed to interrogate the accused in the terror attacks case.

“According to Indian law, no foreign agency can be allowed to interrogate an Indian suspect and we have sought relief from the court,” Mr Naqvi said.

Ansari and his alleged associate Sabauddin Ahmed, are presently in the custody of the Crime Branch till Feb 17, which is investigating whether the duo were responsible for providing data regarding locations targeted by terrorists during the Mumbai attacks.

Both were arrested in 2008 in connection with the 2007 New Year eve attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur in Uttar Pradesh.

The lone captured gunman, Pakistan’s Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, arrested in the terror strikes is also presently in police custody till Feb 13.

Meanwhile, dismissing Pakistan’s statement that India’s evidence on Mumbai attacks was inadequate, Mr Chidambaram said on Monday it was “rubbish”.

Addressing reporters on the sidelines of inauguration of Kerala’s first Coastal Police Station at Neendakara, Mr Chidambaram told reporters, “It is rubbish to say the evidence is not sufficient. We gave them the dossier and they have to respond.”

He said India was awaiting Pakistan’s response to the dossier it had submitted. He also said that Pakistan continued to talk through unofficial lines despite there being enough official channels. Later talking to newsmen in Mumbai after a meeting reviewing the security situation in Maharashtra, Mr Chidambaram again spoke of India waiting for a reply. “We have given them a dossier. Let them respond to it. I will comment after they give the response,” he said.