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Conspiracy hatched at town in MP
The National Investigating Agency (NIA) has, in its charge sheet, claimed that the plan of Malegaon blasts in 2006 was hatched at Bagli, a town in Madhya Pradesh, with an aim to disturb communal harmony. Sunil Joshi, who was killed in December 2007, has been named as an accused in the case. Charul Shah reports.
The National Investigating Agency (NIA) has, in its charge sheet, claimed that the plan of Malegaon blasts in 2006 was hatched at Bagli, a town in Madhya Pradesh, with an aim to disturb communal harmony. Sunil Joshi, who was killed in December 2007, has been named as an accused in the case.
Refuting the earlier investigations by the Anti-Terrorism Squad and the Central Bureau of Investigation, the NIA had, last Wednesday, filed a charge sheet against four accused —Lokesh Sharma, Dhan Singh, Manohar Singh and Rajendra Choudhary. The charge sheet has named Joshi as an accused who was murdered and cannot be prosecuted. The agency has also listed three men —Ramchandra Kalsangra, Sandeep Dange and Amit Hakla — as absconding accused
The charge sheet stated that the agency relied on the statement of Swami Aseemanand, who had alleged that in a meeting of members of the right-wing outfit held at Rateshwar’s house in June 2006, he had suggested that Malegaon has 86% Muslim population and could be the spot for the first blast.
The investigation revealed that Joshi later started working on the plan with Sharma and Kalsangra. The accused were trained in handling firearms and preparing bombs at Bagli in Indore.
The accused had visited Malegaon thrice before September 8, 2006, and had conducted a reconnaissance before the blasts. Kalsangra, Chaudhary and Manohar and Dhan Singh had selected the spots, stated the charge sheet.
On the day of the incident, the accused came to Malegaon and gathered at a bus stop. From there, two including Kalsangra went to buy a bicycle which was used to plant bombs.
After getting the bicycle, they left to the respective spots and planted the bombs.
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