Saffron terror: NIA seeks remand of Col Purohit

In a move that could be linked to possible questioning of senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh Kumar, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has moved court for custodial interrogation of Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit. Rajesh Ahuja reports.

In a move that could be linked to possible questioning of senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh Kumar, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has moved court for custodial interrogation of Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit.

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Purohit, who is in judicial custody, is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case.

According to NIA sources, Purohit had made claims before some witnesseses about Indresh Kumar and his alleged role in Malegaon (September 2006), Samjhauta Express (February 2007), Mecca Masjid (May 2007) Ajmer Sharif (October 2007), Malegaon and Modasa (September 2008) cases.

“Purohit's questioning is important as we want to check the veracity of his claims before examining Indresh,” said a source in the NIA.

The NIA believes Purohit can also shed some light on the conspiracy behind the murder of Sunil Joshi, a Hindu extremist murdered in December 2007.

Indresh Kumar was questioned by the CBI while investigating the Mecca Masjid case. Though, the NIA has mentioned Indresh Kumar as the financer of Sunil Joshi, the terror kingpin, in the chargesheet filed in the Samjhauta Express case, he was not named as an accused.

“Purohit was under investigation by the Maharashtra ATS and CBI for long. But nothing was found against Indresh Kumar. This is an act of desperation on part of the investigating agencies and moreover a political use of criminal prosecution,” said Aman Lekhi, counsel for Indresh Kumar.

According to sources, if the special NIA court in Mumbai permits Purohit's questioning, investigators will bring him here for his thorough questioning.