They were planning blasts: ATS
MUMBAI : The alleged right-wing sympathisers arrested from various districts of Maharashtra – Sudhanva Ghondhalekar, Vaibhav Raut, Sharad Kalaskar, Sachin Andure, and former Shiv Sena corporator Shrikant Pangarkar – wanted to carry out blasts in various states, according to the anti-terrorism squad (ATS).
They had carried out a reconnaissance to identify their targets. “The accused were active for the past five years, and were planning to conduct terror strikes,” said Atulchandra Kulkarni, Maharashtra ATS chief. ATS has questioned more than 50 people from Aurangabad, Satara, Solapur and Nalasopara, said ATS sources. “The accused were well-trained to camouflage their activities, and had formed a closed group. They communicated in code words. All of them were in regular touch over the phone, social media and mails,” said an officer privy to the investigation.
ATS, through sustained interrogation, is trying to decipher the code words the accused used to understand the magnitude of their conspiracy.
ATS has found certain bank account numbers allegedly used by the accused over the past four to five years.
“The officials studied the money trail that helped them ascertain that Pangarkar was the provider and facilitator for Ghondhalekar, Raut and Kalaskar,” said a source. “We are also verifying how the money was diverted to buy crude bombs and weapons,” said the officer. PANAJI:AMID the debate over banning Goa-based Sanatan Sanstha, whose members have been arrested for their alleged involvement in four murders in two states, the Goa unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said only the Centre or Maharashtra government can take a decision on the demand.
While Sanatan Sanstha said there was no evidence against them, Goa BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar said the charges against the group were not proven.
Meanwhile, the state home department enhanced the security of Sahitya Academy awardwinning writer Damodar Mauzo, following an intelligence input that his name was on the list of those targeted by the suspected killers of Gauri Lankesh, Narendra Dabholkar and MM Kalburgi.
“Providing security to Mauzo is not enough. We want the lawmakers to ban the sanstha,” said Datta Naik, member, Dakshinayan Abhiyan, which has rallied behind Mauzo.