Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai)

Maha can ban Sanatan Sanstha, but its legality can be challenged: Experts

Failure to prove Sanstha is umbrella body for groups linked to crimes may be a hurdle

- HT Correspond­ent

MUMBAI: Can Sanatan Sanstha be banned, is the question that has arisen as there have been voices seeking a government ban on the Hindu right-wing organisati­on. The group can be banned by the government based on the administra­tive findings of the investigat­ing agencies, but the legality of the ban can be challenged and its effectiven­ess will remain a question, said legal experts.

Sanatan Sanstha, which proclaims itself to be an organisati­on with a mission to protect the country and the Hindu religion, made headlines when its alleged members were arrested for planting a bomb at a theatre in Panvel in 2008 during the screening of Bollywood film ‘Jodhaa Akbar’.

Since then, alleged members of the group have been named in or linked to various incidents

including the killings of rationalis­t Dr Narendra Dabholkar, Kannada scholar MM Kalburgi, Communist leader Govind Pansare and journalist Gauri Lankesh. But investigat­ions in these cases are still in progress, and there is no concrete evidence yet to prove the culpabilit­y of Sanatan Sanstha as an organisati­on in these crimes.

“Based on these findings, the government can move to ban Sanatan Sanstha. But the ban can be challenged when one learns

that there is no umbrella organisati­on known as Sanatan Sanstha to which all these allegation­s can be attributed,” said a senior advocate representi­ng the state, requesting anonymity.

A senior IPS officer said since being registered as a trust in 1991, Sanatan Sanstha has flourished over a period of 27 years and its members have carried out due

diligence, in terms of registerin­g the organisati­on under different entities, to ensure there are no direct links to its key leaders.

“There are more than 80 organisati­ons registered under the name of different individual­s in Maharashtr­a alone bearing different registrati­on names, numbers and offices. None of these bodies can be directly linked to

any of the crimes,” the officer said, requesting anonymity.

Chetan Rajhans, spokespers­on of Sanatan Sanstha, said on Monday, “None of the five persons arrested by the Maharashtr­a Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) owe allegiance to Sanatan Sanstha.”

Sanjeev G Punalekar, advocate of Sanatan Sanstha, said,

“We hold our annual convention in Goa, where members from more than 140 Hindu groups participat­e. We do not keep a check on the activity of members from other organisati­ons. Around 10 lakh people follow the Sanatan dharma, but are not active members of Sanatan Sanstha. If any of them carry out any crime, we cannot be held responsibl­e.”

 ?? BHUSHAN KOYANDE/HT ?? Sanatan Sanstha spokespers­on Chetan Rajhans (centre) said on Monday that none of the accused arrested by the Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) is linkled to the organisati­on.
BHUSHAN KOYANDE/HT Sanatan Sanstha spokespers­on Chetan Rajhans (centre) said on Monday that none of the accused arrested by the Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) is linkled to the organisati­on.

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