Mumbai: On September 29, 2008, a bomb exploded opposite Shakil Goods Transport Company between Anjuman Chowk and Bhiku Chowk in Malegaon, killing six and injuring 101 people.The blast was caused by an explosive device strapped to a LML Freedom motorcycle bearing registration no MH15P4572.
In the ensuing probe, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Nashik, opined that the articles collected from the place of offence contained cyclonite (RDX) and ammonium nitrate, which are high-grade explosives.
It also transpired that the registration number of LML freedom motorcycle was bogus, while its chassis and engine numbers were found to be erased. However, FSL, Nashik, managed to restore the original engine number. Further probe revealed that Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur was the registered bike owner. She was subsequently arrested along with Shivnarayan Kalsangra and Shyam Sahu.
The investigation agency alleged the involvement of Prasad Purohit, who was serving as an Army officer and was associated with military intelligence and interior terrorism (insurgency activities). It was claimed that in 2007, Purohit flouted service rules and floated 'Abhinav Bharat' – an outfit whose aim was to transform India into Hindu Rashtra 'Aryavart'.
According to the prosecution, Ramesh Upadhyaya, Dayanand Pandey, Sameer Kulkarni, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Chaturvedi and other co-accused as well as some witnesses were members of Abhinav Bharat. They wanted to form a government-in-exile and draft their own constitution, the prosecution had said.
It had alleged that they had planned to train the persons for guerrilla warfare and decided to kill those opposing their objective of forming a Hindu Rashtra, which was against India's secular policy. According to the prosecution, most of the accused held regular meetings to discuss various aspects for achieving their goals.
The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had stated that during a meeting in Bhopal, the explosion was planned to take revenge against Muslims in Malegaon and Thakur took the responsibility. All these meetings were recorded by Pandey, the ATS, which initially probed the case, had alleged.
It had claimed that Purohit had brought RDX from Kashmir, where he was posted, and he had kept the same in his house. Pravin Takkalki and fugitives Ramji alias Ramchandra Gopalsingh Kalsangra and Sandip Dange had planted the explosives on Thakur's instructions.
