Nothing concrete to declare Sanatan Sanstha as terror outfit, Centre tells HC

A member of Sanatan Sanstha has been arrested in the murder case of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.

Mumbai: The Union government on Tuesday told the Bombay High Court that till date it has not found any satisfactory material to declare right wing organisation Sanatan Sanstha as a terror outfit under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and ban it.

A division bench of Justices V M Kanade and P R Bora was hearing a petition filed by Vijay Rokade seeking a ban on the organisation, members of which are alleged to have carried out terror activities in Panvel and Thane.

The bench was informed that the Maharashtra government based on a report and material submitted by the Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) forwarded a proposal to the Union government in 2012 recommending ban on the group.

The Union government today told the court that the evidence and other material sent by the state government was not conclusive and hence it cannot declare the organisation as a terror outfit.

It had made a similar affirmation in October last year.

In April 2012, the state government filed an affidavit in the case claiming that the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) had addressed a letter to the Director of Union Home Ministry informing it that three cases regarding bomb blasts has been registered against Sanatan Sanstha.

"The government of Maharashtra has reached the conclusion that Sanatan Sanstha organisation is liable to be banned under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act," the affidavit had said.

The bench has now posted the petition for final hearing on March 7.

A member of the organisation has been arrested in the murder case of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.