CBI questions Asimanand in Mecca Masjid blast case

CBI on Saturday began interrogation of Swami Asimanand, an accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid bomb blast case, after taking him into their custody from Chanchalguda Central Prison here, officials said.

Hyderabad: CBI on Saturday began interrogation of Swami Asimanand, an accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid bomb blast case, after taking him into their custody from Chanchalguda Central Prison here, officials said.

After the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate here remanded him in seven days police custody yesterday, Asimanand was today handed over to CBI officials for further
questioning, they said.

According to CBI, the 59-year-old Asimanand whose real name is Naba Kumar Sarkar, who had been on the run since 2008, was arrested on November 19 from Haridwar in connection with the blast at the historic masjid here on May 18, 2007, that killed nine people.

The Central investigation agency has claimed that the complicity of Asimanand in the criminal conspiracy in the blast case came to light recently.

"As part of further interrogation, we will also take Asimanand to Gujarat, Delhi and other places," a senior investigating officer told a news agency.

Through the interrogation of Asimanand, the CBI wants to extract details on the whereabouts of other accused including two prime accused in the Mecca Masjid case--Sandeep Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra alias Ramji, both natives of Indore, who
continue to remain elusive, he said.

The CBI in its case diary filed before the court had submitted that Asimanand gave shelter to his co-accused after the Mecca Masjid blast.

"Such places had to be located, and also ascertained if Asimanand provided financial assistance to the co-accused," the agency said.

The CBI has so far named five persons, all allegedly having links with a right-wing Hindu outfit, as accused in the case and brought two Ajmer blast accused, Devender Gupta and Lokesh Sharma to Hyderabad on June 17, as part of investigation into the Mecca Masjid case.

Gupta and Sharma are presently under judicial remand in a prison here.

The CBI officials had recovered few false documents from the "hideout" of Asimanand at Bhadurabad in Haridwar besides Rs 39,350 from his possession and it further wants to
ascertain the source of the amount.

The CBI and Maharashtra ATS had earlier carried out searches at various places in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat as Asimanand was also wanted for his suspected role in connection with the Malegaon bomb blast case.

The CBI in its case diary (CD) filed before the court had submitted that Asimanand gave shelter to his co-accused after the Mecca Masjid blast.

"Such places had to be located, and also ascertained if Asimanand provided financial assistance to the co-accused," the agency said.

The CBI has so far named five persons, all allegedly having links with a right-wing Hindu outfit, as accused in the case and brought two Ajmer blast accused, Devender Gupta and Lokesh Sharma to Hyderabad on June 17, as part of investigation into the Mecca Masjid case. Gupta and Sharma are presently under judicial remand in a prison here.

The CBI officials had recovered few false documents from the "hideout" of Asimanand at Bhadurabad in Haridwar besides Rs 39,350 from his possession and it wants to
ascertain the source of the amount.

The CBI and Maharashtra ATS had earlier carried out searches at various places in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat as he was also wanted for his suspected role in connection with Malegaon bomb blast case.

PTI

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