Three persons, including an SSC student, was arrested by the police on May 5 allegedly for exploding the bomb at Fatima Mosque in Ghatsavli village in Beed district near Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Even as the preparations for the first phase of the parliamentary elections were at its peak, a blast took place near Fatima Masjid at around 3 am on April 4, 2009. Though there were no casualties, the blast badly damaged the walls of the mosque. Almost one month after the blast the police succeeded in nabbing the culprits who were reportedly behind the heinous crime. Ghatsavli village, which has a population of around 1,500 people, has hardly any Muslim population. According to the media reports, the police arrested Ashok Sundar Rao Lande (21), Mayur Arun Lande (20) and Tulsidas Radha Kishan Lande (18) all hailing from the same village and who were reportedly hiding in a farmhouse. In 2004, the mosques at Prabhani and Jalna, two neighboring towns, were also attacked by bombs while Muslims were busy in the Friday prayers.
After the blast on April 4, the Imam of the mosque Sayyed Rahee had lodged a police complaint at Pimpalner police station. Taking actions on the First Information Report (FIR), Superintend of Police (SP) Lakhmi Gautam formed an investigation team led by Inspector Audembar More. Police Officer Vikas Kohok said the accused used detonators, gelatin stick and explosives for the blast. He further said they had run away from the village after carrying the blast but later returned to the village and were hiding in a farmhouse before they were finally arrested by the police. While one of the accused Ashok Lande is a vehicle mechanic, Mayur Lande is graduating in Agriculture Science at Ambajogai located in the same district.
Police to Probe Malegaon Blast Accused Allegations
In a decision that can perhaps change the course of the investigations into the Malegaon 2006 blast case, the State Government in Maharashtra has instructed the State Police to look into the allegations made against the police officials by the accused in his affidavit. “In a meeting today afternoon, we have instructed the Home Secretary and Director General (DG) of Police to look into the allegations made by Abrar Ahmad, one of the accused in the 2006 blast, and submit the report at their earliest”, Arif Naseem Khan, Minister of State for Home reportedly said on May 4.
Abrar Ahmad, one of the accused in the 2006 Malegaon blasts was the lone approver in the case but turned hostile in April alleging serious charges against Rajwardhan, then Superintendent of Police (Nashik Rural), and few other police and Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) officials. In his affidavit filed on April 18, 2009, Abrar has described the sequence of events in detail that led to the arrests of other accused besides alleging Rajwardhan for hatching a conspiracy to nab innocent youths. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is already investigating the whole case though it is yet to file its report.
Apart from investigating the allegations made by Abrar, the State Police would also look into the demands made by Salman Farsi, the other blast accused, who was on an indefinite hunger strike in Ratnagiri Jail for over a month. “The police will look into the matter and if at all any lapses are found we will take immediate actions,” Arif Naseem Khan said. When Salman was on hunger strike, his wife Dr. Nafeesa had requested Arif Naseem Khan to look into the matter.
In reply to a question Arif Naseem Khan declined if the government had set any specific timeframe for the completion of the inquiry. “Though we have not set any timeframe for the completion of the inquiry, we have directed the DG and Home secretary to commence it immediately. They might start from tomorrow”, he said adding, “We would be meeting again in eight days time to take a review.”
Meanwhile a delegation comprising representatives from all organizations in Malegaon also called on Arif Naseem Khan on May 4. The delegation leaders urged the Minister to take actions against the guilty and immediate release of those who have been behind the bars for the last two years. They also requested him to look into the security of Abrar Ahmad, the lone approver in the case who has now turned hostile.
Earlier in the day before meeting Arif Naseem Khan, the delegation members had met the CBI Incharge Officer Pramod Kumar Dev at his Nariman Point office and requested him to wrap the CBI investigations, pending since December 2006.