Bicycle shop owners questioned by cops

While the police remained clueless about the perpetrators of the Pune blasts, the central and state teams investigating the case identified the shop from where the cycles were purchased.

While the police remained clueless about the perpetrators of the Pune blasts, the central and state teams investigating the case identified the shop from where the cycles were purchased.

HT Image

Teams sent out to various parts of the city identified Soni Cycles Trading Co at Budhwar Peth as the place from where three persons had bought the bicycles a day before the blasts were triggered.

The owners of the shop were brought to Deccan Gymkhana police station, where they described the persons who bought the bicycles.

The police have registered a case against 'unknown persons' under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 427 (mischief causing damage), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and relevant sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Explosive Substances Act.

Investigating agencies are also questioning the family of sole injured victim Dayanand Patil.

Meanwhile, the technical department of Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) has narrowed down on suspicious financial transactions that took place in Maharashtra, and are verifying transactions directed towards Pune, said sources in the central intelligence agencies.

S Singhal, joint commissioner of police, said, “Our preliminary investigations have revealed that the IED constituted a digital timer, nine volt battery, detonator, and a white and pink substance [the explosive].”

Injured man’s not a suspect: Police
The Deccan Gymkhana police on Thursday summoned the wife of 33-year-old Dayanand Patil, the sole injured in the Pune blasts, for questioning. Patil was identified as the person who was carrying a bag with explosives at the outer gate of Bal Gandharva Rangmandir.

In his statement to the police, Patil, who works as a tailor, alleged that somebody kept the explosive in his bag. A detailed investigation into Patil’s background revealed that he had visited Jordan in 2002. A senior police officer said, “At the moment Patil’s story seems to be genuine and he is not a suspect. But we are not ruling out any possibilities.” -

HTC