ATS gets custody of accused till Sept 4
The Maharashtra ATS on Friday told a sessions court here that suspected right-wing activist Avinash Pawar had carried out reconnaissance of several persons who were on the target list of a radical Hindu group for speaking against the religion.
Pawar, linked to the extremist group, was arrested by the state’s Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) on August 24 in a case pertaining to seizure of explosives and arms from several parts of Maharashtra early this month. He was the fifth person to be arrested in the case.
He was produced before the sessions court today where ATS sought additional 14 days custody stating that the agency had to interrogate him to ascertain the role of each accused and to find out if more persons were involved.
Additional sessions judge Vinod Padalkar remanded Pawar to ATS custody till September 4.
The ATS told the court that Pawar had carried out reconnaissance of several people including Mukta Dabholkar, daughter of slain rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, social activist Shyam Manav, NCP MLA Jitendra Avhad and a few others who were on his target list for speaking against Hindu religion.
The court, however, pointed out that there were several loose ends in the ATS case and said that the agency had not submitted all details pertaining to the investigation in the remand application or the case diary.
“Do not come to the court half heartedly. The court cannot compromise with the accused person’s rights,” Judge Padalkar said.
The ATS had arrested four persons - Vaibhav Raut, Sudhanwa Gondhalekar, Sharad Kalaskar on August 10 and Shrikant Pangarkar on August 19 - and booked them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Indian Penal identify and hold accountable States and non-State entities that encourage, support or finance terrorism, provide sanctuaries to terrorists and terror groups and falsely extol their virtues.”
The declaration did not name any specific country, but Pakistan is often accused by its neighbours, including India, of providing safe havens to terrorists.
It asked all nations to devise a comprehensive approach which should include preventing financing of terrorists and terrorist actions from territories under their control, blocking recruitment and cross-border movement of terrorists, countering radicalisation, countering misuse of internet for purposes of terrorism and dismantling terrorist safe havens.
It said that combating terrorism and transnational organised crimes require sustained efforts and cooperation and comprehensive approach involving active participation and collaboration of the Member States.
The declaration called for strengthening cooperation and coordination among the law enforcement, intelligence and security agencies of the member states, holding meetings at the level of Bimstec Home Ministers and the Bimstec National Security Chiefs.
The Bimstec is a regional grouping comprising India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The grouping accounts for 22 per cent of the global population, and has a combined gross domestic product of USD 2.8 trillion.
The declaration also underlined the importance of multi-dimensional connectivity, which promotes synergy among connectivity frameworks in the region, as a key enabler to economic integration for shared prosperity.
It stressed the need for a fair, just, rule-based, equitable and transparent international order Code, Explosive Substances Act and Explosives Act.
The four accused are in ATS custody till September 4.
ATS had earlier claimed that the accused were suspected right-wing activists and had planned to target a western music concert in Pune last year.
According to ATS, the accused were also involved in hurling a petrol bomb outside a movie theatre in Kalyan, in adjoining Thane district, where controversial Hindi film “Padmaavat” was being screened in January this year.
The ATS had seized a CPU from Pawar’s house and a mobile phone used by him, the official said.
MUMBAI: THE BIMSTEC STATEMENT SAID COMBATING TERROR AND TRANSNATIONAL ORGANISED CRIME NEED SUSTAINED EFFORT AND COOPERATION AMONG THE MEMBER STATES.
and reaffirming faith in the multilateralism with the United Nations at the centre and the rule-based international trading system.
In the declaration, the member states reiterated their pledged to work collectively towards making Bimstec a stronger, more effective and result-oriented organisation for achieving a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal Region.
They have also resolved to achieve, leveraging on Bimstec’s position as a bridge linking South and Southeast Asia, an enhanced level of economic and social development in the region, and remain fully committed to consolidate and deepen cooperation among Member States towards transforming the organisation into an effective platform to promote peace, prosperity and sustainability.
The member states have also stressed on the need to accelerate progress in the core areas of cooperation and to review, restructure and rationalise the existing areas of Bimstec cooperation and streamline the operational modalities for activities, implementation of programmes and projects under Bimstec for bringing out tangible results.
The declaration also recognised that eradication of poverty is the greatest regional challenge in realising development objectives and expressed firm commitment to work together for implementing the Agenda 2030 for sustainable development.
At the end of the summit, Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli handed over the chairmanship of the grouping to Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena.
Oli congratulated Sri Lanka for assuming the role as new host for Bimstec and extended thanks to the heads of states/governments of member states for their support in materialising the summit with success.
A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed on establishment of the Bimstec Grid Interconnection to enhance energy cooperation among the member states.
“The MoU provides for optimisation of using energy resources in the region & promotion of efficient & secure operation of power system, among other things,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.