Purohit procured 60 kg of RDX from J and K: ATS

Nashik, Nov 15 (PTI) Lt. Col. S.P. Purohit allegedly
procured 60 kgs of RDX from Jammu and Kashmir in 2006, a part
of which is suspected to have been used in the Malegaon blast
and also in the Samjhauta Express train explosions, the
prosecution told a court here, giving a new dimension to the
ongoing Anti-Terrorism Squad (A.T.S.) probe.

Purohit, arrested in connection with the Malegaon
blast was Saturday produced before a Nashik court which
granted further police custody till November 18 for detailed
questioning.

The Army officer, among ten arrested in connection with
the Melegaon blast, has been subjected to brain-mapping and
narco-analysis tests.

Special Prosecutor for the A.T.S., Ajay Misar told the
court that a witness submitted that in 2006 Purohit had
claimed he had 60 kgs of RDX in his possession which he had
got from Jammu and Kashmir.

The RDX is suspected to have been used in the September
29 Malegaon blast that left six dead and the twin explosions
in Samjhauta train last year that killed 68 people.

Purohit gave a portion of the RDX to one Bhagwan who is
suspected to have used in Samjhauta Express blast, Misar said.

Purohit, 36, who was with Military Intelligence, had
told the authorities that he had thrown RDX into the Jhelum
river, the special counsel said.

However, it is suspected that he transported the
RDX to Deolali in Nashik, he said.

Interestingly, Purohit had interacted with the A.T.S. in
the past and in 2005 had even given a talk on operational
techniques and strategies to them. The investigators suspect
that he is closely linked to a little known right wing group
Abhinav Bharat.

Purohit is also alleged to have conducted an arms
and explosives training camp for members of this group in
Panchmarhi in Madhya Pradesh between October 16 and 21 2006,
Misar said.

The A.T.S. also told the court that it was
investigating the source of the RDX which Purohit had
obtained.

The Public prosecutor told the court that they had
found evidence of links between arrested Sadhvi Pragya Thakur
Singh and self-styled guru Dayanand Pandey.

The A.T.S. has found during the course of the
investigations that Pandey had introduced Purohit to Ramji
Kalsangra, who is wanted in the Malegaon blast, Misar said.

The court dismissed an application filed by
Purohit's father-in-law alleging torture in police custody
after the army official denied it to the court. Also medical
records did not show any evidence of physical torture.

In Mumbai, Maharashtra police chief A.N. Roy voiced
his dismay over charges against the A.T.S. by the Shiv
Sena-B.J.P. combine that the arrests in the connection with
the blast case were politically motivated.