Mumbai, Feb 18: RSS leader Shyam Apte has alleged
two RSS leaders, including general secretary Mohan Bhagwat
were funded by Pakistan`s ISI, Malegaon blast accused
Dayanand Pandey said in his confessional statement to the
police.
"In August 2008, I had gone to Pune where I met with
RSS leader Shyam Apte who told me about (Indresh) Kumar
(Muslim wing leader of RSS) and Bhagwat taking money from ISI.
Lt Col Srikant Purohit, after learning about this, had asked
one Captain Joshi to murder the two," Pandey said in his
confession before a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).
The self-styled religious leader, in his statement to
the police, has said Purohit, who had formed right wing group
Abhinav Bharat, had directed one Captain Joshi to murder
Indresh Kumar and Mohan Bhagwat.
The statement said Joshi was, however, not able to
execute the murder which had infuriated Apte.
Pandey said the entire Malegaon blast conspiracy
was hatched by Purohit and co-accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh
Thakur who wanted to take the lead in the cause of Hindutva
and "avenge for the deaths of Hindus caused by Muslims across
the country".
"In August 2007, I met Purohit in Deolali camp (near
Nashik) where he told me about forming a right wing group by
the name Abhinav Bharat for promoting and safeguarding
Hindutva," Pandey`s confession statement said.
In January 2008, Pandey attended a meeting of Abhinav
Bharat in Faridabad in which Purohit, co-accused Sudhakar
Chaturvedi and retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay were present, it
said.
In the meeting, Purohit spoke extensively about the
setting up of a "Hindu Rashtra" with its own Constitution
for the protection of Hindus, it added.
"Purohit had also said he would arrange for explosives
which can be used to blast Muslim-dominated areas. Upadhyay
then said that he can arrange for men to prepare the bombs,"
Pandey has said.
In June 2008, Pandey had gone to Indore where he met
the Sadhvi who told him that she had asked Purohit to arrange
for explosives for the protection of Hindus.
"Sadhvi said that Purohit was not taking the cause
seriously and asked me to convince him to arrange for the
explosives immediately," the statement said.
Of the 11 arrested accused in the case, two - Pandey
and Rakesh Dhawde - have given confessional statements.
Confession given before a DCP-level officer is
admissible in the court under Maharashtra Control of Organised
Crime Act (MCOCA) which has been invoked in the Malegaon case.
Bureau Report
