New Delhi, Dec 23 : The Government today rejected the conspiracy theory propounded by Union Minister A R Antulay over the killing of Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare during the Mumbai terror attacks.

Making a statement in the Lok Sabha, Home Minister P Chidambaram said there is "no truth in the different versions that have been circulated about the movement of Karkare on that fateful day."

"It is deeply regrettable that before his death questions were being raised about the genuineness of the investigations that were being conducted by Karkare in a terrorist case and after his death questions are being raised about the circumstances in which he was killed," he added.

Hemant Karkare, Maharashta Police’s Anti-Terrorism Squad chief, who was probing the Malegaon blast case was among 11officials killed on Wednesday night in encounters with terrorists who struck late at night in India's financial nucleus.

Karkare, 54, was leading an operation at hotel Taj against terrorists who had taken 15 people, including seven foreigners, as hostages when he was shot by terrorists.