`Express Post Service’ started at Malegaon post office

Malegaon: To compete the private angariyas and courier firms, the Malegoan head post office on Saturday announced to start Express post service that will help consumers in sending their stuff, parcels, money order, documents and other belongings through government officials. B S Lingayat, head post superintendent said that similarly stuff sent from anywhere in the country/world to anyone in Malegaon will be delivered to the recipient in the minimal time.

Moreover, a railway ticket booking counter has also been started at Malegaon head post office. “The ticket counter facility is helping hundreds of citizens on a daily basis. We will bring changes and make our system more sophisticated to provide the latest facilities to our customers,” said Mohammed Ishaque Abdul Aziz, a post master.


Saturday July 27, 2013

Malegaon to get electricity on cheaper rate

Mumbai: After a four-month long protest by the residents and power loom owners in Malegaon, the state government agreed to reduce the electricity charges in Malegaon. A decision on supplying electricity for Rs 1.80 per unit will be taken and announced in January next year, said Rajesh Tope, state Energy minister.

The residents of Malegaon have been paying the electricity bills untill last month but protested against the increased rates of the electricity. The rate of electricity was increased 12 times in the last three years.

In the Nagpur session of the state government, chief minister Prithivraj Chavan and Tope on December 21 announced that a decision on supplying electricity for Rs 1.80 per unit will be taken in January next year and subsequently announced by the state. The residents of Malegaon have welcomed this move.

MANMAD MURDER -Nine accused get bail, out of jail

Members of the Manmad oil mafia, who burnt alive Nashik additional collector Yeshwant Sonawane, have walked out of Nashik jail as the CBI failed to file the chargesheet on time



Mateen Hafeez TNN

Mumbai: Nine suspects belonging to the oil mafia in Manmad, who were accused of setting Nashik additional collector Yeshwant Sonawane on fire, were granted
bail by a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in Nashik. The bail was granted after the CBI failed to file a chargesheet within the stipulated time. All the accused are out of the Nasik jail.

Another accused, Kunal Shinde (17), was granted bail by the juvenile court on March 23. Ajay Misar, special public prosecutor, said, “The case was transferred from the local police to the CBI. The agency could not file the chargesheet as it was exploring all the angles. The CBI sought an extension for filing the chargesheet, which was granted. Later, the agency again sought extension for a month but the court turned down its plea.”

The Manmad police, which had registered a case of murder and oil pilfering had earlier said eight of the 11 accused booked were not present at the spot when the incident took place. Sonawane was burnt alive on January 25 at Paanewadi near Manmad after being set on fire by prime accused Popat Shinde. Shinde, who also suffered burn injuries, died on January 31.


The Times of India, June 23, 2011

'Malegaon bomb blast' book released

Powerloom town's prominent journalist, Abdul Haleem Siddiqui's book, "Malegaon bomb blast" was released in a function last week. The 80-page book focuses on the two blasts the city suffered, first on September 8, 2006 and the September 29, 2008. The two blasts had killed around 37 and injured over 398 collectively. The book is a collection of stories from the victims' families, the survivors, the police investigation and the likely breakthrough. Around a dozen books have been published to Siddiqui's credit. The 42-year-old journalist, father of four, lives in Malegaon and is associated with Mumbai's leading urdu newspaper, The Urdu Times, as well.

Aguva Committee - The Malegaon matchmaker

India may have taken to matrimonial websites in a big way in the age of the internet but Malegaon remains a rare exception. Neither does it bank upon traditional midwives and barbers to double up as matchmakers for its youth.

The eight lakh people of this town are privileged to have a unique cluster of 40-50 elders who form what is called the Aguva committee. It is this group that personally recommends the right match and takes the lead in the celebrations as well.

The committee goes through each application with a fine comb, meets and interviews each youngster and his family and conducts a thorough background check of the candidate, helped by the fact that its members live in different parts of the city. Having sifted the grain from the chaff, it recommends only those profiles that are suited to one another.
Once the wedding is arranged, the wise men lead the procession like the head of the family, bearing gifts for the bride or groom's party. Each side treats them like guests of honour at the `baraat'. The aguva committee is an informal panchayat few towns can boast of, and one that serves its community well.


March 3, 2011

Malegaon accused takes PhD entrance test

Swati Deshpande & Hemali Chhapia TNN

Mumbai: Of the 2006 candidates who appeared for the PET (PhD Entrance Test) on Saturday, one did not return home. He went back to the Arthur Road jail—his temporary home. The candidate who took special permission from the court and appeared for the exam was Farooq Makhdoom, one of the accused in the 2006 Malegaon blasts. He has been in jail for over four and half years. He wrote the exam in Urdu.

Makhdoom’s lawyer Yakub Yusuf Shaikh sought bail for him so that he could appear for the test. The magistrate wanted to see his hall ticket before granting him permission. Makhdoom was taken to his exam centre, Saboo Siddique College in Bandra, under heavy police protection. The blasts in 2006 had killed 31 and six of the nine accused are from Malegaon. They claim they were framed but the CBI has opposed the fresh bail plea filed this January.

The accused has been on a studying streak while in jail. Having completed his Bachelor of Unani Medicine in 1997, Makhdoom studied for his MA in Urdu while in custody in 2009. He has been securing a first class so far and is hopeful of cracking the PhD entrance as well. Even though his hopes of getting bail have been dashed a few times, he and eight others who applied again are still hopeful of getting a release order soon.

The exam was conducted across 12 centres in the city. There were 2174 candidates from the state who had registered for PET. At some centres, said controller of examinations Vilas Shinde, students wanted the question paper in Marathi. They were also allowed to write the exam in Marathi. Shinde said the Mumbai University would consider setting the paper in Marathi next year.


The Times of India, February 27, 2011

‘Sonawane drove Popat to murder’

Slain accused Popat Shinde and his wife, Jijabai


Mateen Hafeez and Prafulla Marpakwar TNN

Mumbai: The arrested family members of Popat Shinde, the prime accused in the murder of additional collector Yeshwant Sonawane, have alleged that the official had been constantly harassing Popat for hafta, which was why the oil pilferer finally got frustrated and killed Sonawane. Popat’s son Vikas Shinde, 19, and son-in-law Deepak Borse have told the police that Popat was under severe mental stress as he could not come up with the bribe money and his wife, who had recently died, had been ailing. Popat had also taken a huge loan for a house that he reportedly was thinking of selling.

Popat’s other son Kunal, 17, made similar statements to the police, but sensationally added that Popat, who is in hospital with 75% burns, burnt himself, while he (Kunal ) burnt Sonawane.

Manmad police said they are looking into the bribery claims. Home minister R R Patil said, “We are probing the entire case at a higher level.” Lens on hafta claims in oil killing


Cops Probe Statements That Sonawane Was In Panewadi To Seek Bribe
Mumbai: Senior police officials said they have begun probing the contradictory statements made in the case involving the burning alive of additional collector (Nashik) Yeshwant Sonawane in Panewadi near Manmad on January 25. Those arrested for killing Sonawane have alleged to the police that Sonawane was in Panewadi to demand a bribe from Popat Shinde, the main accused in the murder case.

Earlier, the complainants in the FIR, Sonawane’s PA Raju Kale and driver Kailash Gawli had said that Sonawane was conducting a raid on oil pilferers when he was murdered by the oil mafia. Officials interrogating the 10 arrested men and Popat, who is in J J Hospital with 75% burns, have said that they have alleged that Sonawane was repeatedly demanding bribes from Popat.

Most notably, Popat’s son Kunal Shinde, 17, who has been arrested, has deviated from the replies of the others and told police that Popat burnt himself in frustration after Sonawane’s demands for hafta, which led to an angry Kunal hitting and burning Sonawane. After Kunal’s sensational statement before the Manmad police, officials said they may ask for permission to do narco-analysis, liedetector and brain-mapping tests on Kunal to establish the truth.

A senior police official said nothing had been established as yet. “What Kunal told the police appears to be the defence’s line. Since he was arrested two days after the death of Sonawane, his lawyers must have briefed him on what he should tell the police. We are probing all aspects,” he said.

Three of the 10 arrested men – Kunal, Vikas, 19, and Deepak Borse – are of Popat’s family. A Manmad police official clarified that the statements of the accused have not been finalized. “We have recorded statements from the 10 arrested men and Popat Shinde. But they are not complete versions. The interrogations are still ongoing,” said an officer involved in the probe.

Nashik superintendent of police Milind Bharambe said that since the case is sensitive and still under investigation, it is not appropriate to comment on Kunal’s statement. Home minister R R Patil said there is no need to take cognisance of statements made by the accused. “We are probing the entire case at a higher level. In my opinion, no importance should be attached to the statements made by the accused,” he said.

A senior official said, “Now Sonawane is dead, while Popat is in critical condition and unable to speak. Under such circumstances, it is difficult to establish the charges against the additional collector.”

The arrested men have alleged to the police that Sonawane had demanded Rs 3 lakh as a bribe from Popat. They claimed that Rs 2 lakh was paid in two installments of Rs 1 lakh each. Popat then asked for more time to pay the rest, but Sonawane’s men kept asking for the money, the accused have told the police. Popat’s elder son Vikas told police that Sonawane threatened to file cases of oil theft and adulteration if he wasn’t paid. Deepak Borse, Popat’s son-inlaw, has also reportedly told the police that his father-in-law faced constant demands for hafta.

Senior police officials in Manmad are shocked over the manner in which Sonawane was burnt. A veteran social worker said that both Sonawane and Popat were known to each other ever since Sonawane was posted in the area in 2003. In fact, the same year, when Popat purchased a house there, Sonawane was there for the house warming.

The rift between them reportedly grew after another oil gang stepped in to take over the business in the Nashik-Manmad-Dhule belt. The cold war between Sonawane and Popat reached its peak when Popat complained to the ACB, which attempted to trap the additional collector twice, on August 30 and 31. “After the traps failed, the district administration concentrated on Popat’s illegal activities,” said an official.

Vikas has told police that his mother, Jijabai, was suffering from several ailments. While her health deteriorated, their father was upset. He told police that his father sold a plot of land to pay for his mother’s hospital expenses. Borse and Vikas said that Popat was nearly bankrupt. He had taken a loan from business friends and a bank to construct a bungalow. Popat was thinking of selling the bungalow, Vikas is learnt to have told the police.

Popat has told the police that he burnt Sonawane himself, which deviates from Kunal’s version. However, the FIR filed by Kale and Gawli corroborates with Popat’s version. Sources said the version of the other accused also matches Popat’s and the FIR’s versions.

JIGSAW OF EVIDENCE

On January 25, additional collector Yeshwant Sonawane was burnt alive by members of the oil mafia at Panewadi near Manmad. Here are the varying versions of those who filed the First Information Report and those who have been arrested:

THE FIR

Filed by Sonawane’s personal assistant Raju Kale and driver Kailash
Gawli with the Manmad police

1.30 pm: Sonawane leaves Chandwad after controlling a protest by the Onion Exporters’ Association. Kale is also in the car driven by Gawli

2.00: The three are passing through Panewadi when Sonawane spots a tanker behind Sagar Dhaba, which is owned by Popat Shinde. Sonawane asks Gawli to take the car to the dhaba. Sonawane spots oil being pilfered and asks the culprits to stop. He captures the goings-on on the video camera of his mobile phone. He calls a government official to inform him of the pilferage

2.05: Popat’s employee Rajiv Shirsat calls Shinde to inform him about Sonawane’s arrival

2.20: Popat and his sons, Kunal, 17, and Vikas, 19, and son inlaw, Deepak Borse, arrive at the spot.

2.30: Popat and Sonawane engage in a heated argument that turns into a brawl. Kunal hits Sonawane with an iron rod. The other culprits beat up Kale and Gawli and ask them to leave. The duo escape in Sonawane’s official car. Popat pours kerosene from a container onto Sonawane and gets drenched in the process too. Popat sets Sonawane on fire and himself gets burnt. The culprits then rush Popat to a local hospital, leaving Sonawane struggling for his life

3.15: Manmad police, after receiving information, reach the spot to find Sonawane’s charred body


INTERROGATION OF THE ACCUSED
Police say they are investigating the following allegations that the accused, including Popat Shinde, Vikas Shinde, Deepak Borse and the others, have made during their interrogations. The statements of the accused have not yet been finalized Kunal Shinde, 17, is the only accused with a different version of how the incident ended

2.30 pm: Sonawane insists on his hafta, while Popat promises to pay later. A frustrated Popat pours kerosene on himself and burns himself. Kunal gets angry, hits Sonawane with a rod, pours kerosene on the additional collector and sets him on fire

2.35: Popat’s men rush him to a local hospital, leaving Sonawane behind 1 pm: Family members gather at Popat Shinde’s home in Manmad for rituals on the 10th day after the death of Popat’s wife, Jijabai

2.05: Popat receives a call from one of his employees about Sonawane’s arrival at Sagar Dhaba. An annoyed Popat leaves for Panewadi along with his sons and son in-law

2.20: Popat meets Sonawane and takes him aside to discuss something a few metres from the others. Sonawane demands hafta and the two get into an argument and start pushing each other around

2.30: An angry Kunal hits Sonawane with a rod, causing Sonawane to fall. Popat pours kerosene on Sonawane and some of it falls on himself. Popat sets Sonawane on fire and gets burnt himself

2.35: The men rush Popat to a local hospital, leaving Sonawane behind


The Times of India, January 31, 2011

Oil mafia burn addl collector alive

Additional collector for Nashik Yashwant Sonawane (L) grabbed one of his assailants when he was set on fire. Popat Shinde suffered 80% burns and was captured with 4 others


He Spotted Fuel Theft In Manmad, Tried To Stop It


Yogesh Naik & Mateen Hafeez TNN

Mumbai: An additional collector was burnt alive on Tuesday afternoon in Manmad, near Malegaon, when he tried to call other government officials to the scene of a fuel theft. The perpetrators doused Yashwant Sonawane (44) with kerosene and set him afire in a development that sent shockwaves across the state.

Sonawane was found dead in a field from severe burns. But before dying he clung on to one of his attackers, Popat Shinde, making it impossible for him to flee. Shinde sustained 80% burns and is critical. He has been arrested with four others.

The gruesome killing led to home minister R R Patil ordering an immediate crackdown on the fuel mafia across the state. CM Prithviraj Chavan ordered an inquiry and announced Rs 25 lakh for the family, payment of the officer’s salary till retirement and other compensation. Furious gazetted officers plan a strike on Thursday. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar called it a blot on humanity.

Sonawane had gone to Chandvad, where farmers had been agitating, and was proceeding towards Nandgaon when he spotted kerosene pilferage at Panewadi village in Manmad taluka, said Nashik divisional commissioner Jayant Gaikwad. Major companies like HPCL, BPCL and IOC have depots in the area. When Sonawane saw kerosene being stolen from a tanker outside the shop of Popat Shinde, he shot of video on his cellphone and called local officials for a raid. Shinde’s servant heard Sonawane calling the officials and alerted his boss. Soon, Shinde’s accomplices accosted the officer and doused him with kerosene after a scuffle and set him on fire.

FUEL THEFT COMMON IN PANEWADI AREA

“Shinde arrived on the scene and got into a heated argument with Sonawane. Shinde’s son Kunal and other servants also reached the spot,” said Gaikwad. “There were two kerosene cans of 20 litres each at the scene. One of the assailants poured the contents of a can over Sonawane and set him ablaze. Sonawane at that point caught hold of Shinde, who sustained nearly 80% burns and is critical.”

The divisional commissioner said fuel pilferage is common in Panewadi village. The oil depots in the area supply fuel to nearly 12 districts in northern Maharashtra and Marathwada.

Gaikwad said Shinde had lost his wife just 10 days ago. “We are taken aback at how he could have committed such a gory crime while in grief,” said Gaikwad. The attacker had a criminal record and was externed once.

Sonawane’s cell phone, with the video, is now with the police. The tanker from which the kerosene was being pilfered has been seized.Shinde, Sitaram Bhalerao, Machhindra Sarvankar, Vikas Shinde and Raju Shirsat have been arrested. Kunal and Ajay Sonawane are wanted.

Nashik collector P Velarasu said Sonawane was low profile and hard-working. “Local police reached the spot within minutes of receiving information. But it was too late. Sonawane had already died,” said Velarasu.

The body was taken to Nashik where the last rites were performed later. A postmortem was conducted on Tuesday evening. Sonawane is survived by his wife, who lives in Nashik, and two sons who study in Pune. Sonawane was a native of Dindori.
He had joined the government as deputy collector in 1994 and was expected to be absorbed into the IAS later.

Food and civil supplies minister Anil Deshmukh, who is visiting Satara, said the government will unearth the adulteration racket. The CM asked revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat to reach the spot. Thorat said, “We will not hesitate to apply MCOCA against the culprits.”


The Times of India, January 26, 2011

Malegaon road named after Hemant Karkare

Malegaon MLA Mufti Ismail after the nauguration in Malegaon on September 16, 2010


Mateen Hafeez

Mumbai: The road in Malegaon, where an RDX bomb allegedly planted by the members of Abhinav Bharat outfit killed six persons on September 29, 2008, was named after slain ATS chief Hemant Karkare on Thursday.

The inauguration of the `Shaheed Hemant Karkare Road' (between Bhikku chowk to Shashtri Chowk) was done by Malegaon MLA Mufti Mohammed Ismail. He is also the chief priest of Malegaon's Jama Masjid. ``When Muslims were being caught in terror cases, no body said terrorism has no religion. However, after Karkare exposd the saffron terrorism, people are now saying terrorism has no religion,'' said Ismail in his speech. The programme was attended by Malegaon corporation's commissioner, Jeevan Sonawane and ex-mayor, Rasheed Seth Yeolewale.

Karkare, who probed the 2008 Malegaon blast and arrested 11 members of Abhinav Bharat outfit including a serving lieutenant colonel Prasad Purohit, was killed on the mid night of November 26, 2008 when 10 Pakistani terrorists went on a mayhem in Mumbai.

Earlier, the police had refused to give a no objection certificate saying if the law and order situation goes out of the control, the road naming organisers will be held responsible. The proposal to name the road after Karkare was sanctioned by the 72-member corporation, including BJP and Sena corporators, in December 2008.

mateen.hafeez@timesgroup.com

‘Is sporting a beard in the city a crime?’

Civil Engineer Mohammed Saleem


Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: A 42-year-old Muslim civil engineer was on Monday bundled off to a police station, detained and grilled about his identity for over four hours and then let off with an advice not to sport “such a long beard’’. He was picked up for his “suspicious movement’’ in front of the Israeli consulate.

Mohammad Saleem not only had to spend more than four hours at the police station and take two havaldars to his residence by taxi—to get his identity proof documents—and treat them to soft drinks and tea, but also answer “extremely humiliating’’ questions.

Saleem, working for a private construction firm, had gone to the Earnest House I-T office to submit some files on his employer’s behalf. He finished his work and came out of the building and was looking up some numbers on his new cellphone when his troubles started. Saleem did not know that the neighbouring building housed the Israeli consulate. “I was checking my new phone when a person came up to me and asked me who I was. He was joined by others who took me back to the I-T office to check if what I had said was true,’’ he added.

It was only later that he realised that the persons who had got hold of him were from the Israeli consulate. “An Israeli, too, was there and security staff took my cellphone to check if I had clicked any photographs,’’ Saleem said.

But, despite nothing amiss being found, the security staff called up the Marine Drive cops, who took Saleem to the police station. It was here that Saleem learnt that sporting “such a long beard’’ in the vicinity of the Israeli consulate was something that could land an Indian citizen in trouble.

“I repeatedly requested the policemen to allow me to make a call, but they did not pay any heed to my request. They recorded my statement, took my residential address, my office address and then allowed me to make one call to my employer who spoke to the cops on my behalf,’’ Saleem added. “What was more offensive was that an official from the Israeli consulate and a security guard abused me in front of the police officers,’’ he said.

Israeli consulate-general Orna Sagiv was in Bangalore and said she did not know of the case. “The cops will possibly be able to give you more details,’’ she added.

Two cops then took Saleem to his residence in a cab to check if he really stayed in Mumbai and it was only after they returned to the police station and gave him a clean chit that he was allowed to leave.

Additional police commissioner R K Padmanabhan said, “If required, I will ask for an inquiry into it.’’

The Times of India, June 30, 2010

Maulvis excommunicate 5 Muslims in Malegaon, Punished For Being ‘Apostates, Infidels’

Mohammed Wajihuddin | TNN

Mumbai: A group of Malegaon’s maulvis last Friday summarily excommunicated five Muslims for allegedly being “apostates and infidels’’.

The clerics declared Fareedul Abedin, Sharief Cookerwalla, Yunus Trolleywalla, Iqbal Engineer and Yusuf Dalal were no longer Muslims after hearing many fellow Muslims who testified that the “accused’’, among other things, believed in and preached ideas and beliefs which went against Islam. One of the charges against the five is that they refuted Prophet Mohammed’s miraculous divine ride, also called Meraj, where he was taken to the Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and given a guided tour of the heavens all in one night.

Critics of the move have said it reeks of “Talibanism’’ and the regressive approach of the Khaps of some parts of India but the maulvis have defended their position. “Their activities had created huge embarrassment for us. We invited all five to present their side of the story but only one of them, Fareedul Abedin, turned up. We pronounced them kharij-az-Islam (out of Islam) as reliable witnesses testified against them,’’ said Mufti Ismail, local MLA and head of the Jamiautul Ulema in Malegaon. Ismail added that a social boycott against the men had not been called for and the populace had been advised not to harass them.

Despite Ismail’s claims, however, a boycott is already in place as the excommunicated men are too afraid to visit the local mosque. And they are feeling the heat. “People taunt us as murtad (infidel). We fear for our lives,’’ said Cookerwalla (64), accused of brainwashing gullible Muslims in Malegaon. Denied the charges, he said, “I am a Muslim and believe in the finality of prophethood on Mohammed. Who has given them the right to excommunicate me?’’ He and the other four, fearing a physical attack, have filed a police complaint.

Cookerwalla, who runs a cookerrepairing shop in Malegaon, also gives discourses on the Geeta and the Quran. “I am as comfortable talking about Hindu scriptures in temples as I am quoting the Quran in mosques,’’ he said. “This angered some Muslims and they started a vilification campaign against me and my companions.’’

During the Friday meeting, Fareedul Abedin fielded a volley of questions from the maulvis and tried to explain his position but to no avail. Hafiz Mahfooz Rahmani, a cleric who was part of the excommunication panel, said, “The most dangerous thing that Abedin said was that like Haj and zakaat, Muslims could perform namaz just once a year unlike the divine command which said performing namaz five times a day was mandatory.’’

Interestingly, Abedin — a cleric himself — used to hold lectures on the Quran. A fortnight ago, he held one such lecture at Fateh Maidan in Malegaon which angered many Muslims who thought that, in the name of giving Quranic lessons, Abedin was propagating Bahaism and the faith of the Ahmadiyas. Liberal scholars and Urdu commentators are shocked at the excommunication. “India is not a theocratic state. People have religious freedom and this excommunication order by the so-called Sharia Panchayat violates that freedom,” said Islamic scholar Asghar Ali Engineer. “Islam doesn’t recognise priesthood and the option of choosing God should have been left to the individuals’ conscience.”

Urdu columnist-writer Sajid Rashid felt the excommunication would harm the image of Indian Muslims who — by far — practised a moderate, tolerant Islam. “Indian Islam is not Talibani Islam. Moreover, there is a law of the land. If the clerics of Malegaon felt that these five Muslims were threat to peace, they could have approached the court instead of passing a medieval diktat,” said Rashid.

The Times of India, June 2, 2010

Malegaon voters’ list will soon be in Urdu too

A FIRST IN STATE


Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: Malegaon’s 2.38 lakh voters will soon have their names in the voters’ list in Urdu. With this, Malegaon will become the first city in Maharashtra to have the voters’ list in Urdu. This step has been taken to avoid mistakes in names and addresses.

Officials said this was the brainchild of Ajay More, sub-divisional magistrate, who has been conducting meetings with the citizens and political parties. Malegaon, which has a 6 lakhplus population at present, is divided into east and west by a river, Mausam. The eastern side of the town has 100% Urdu-speaking population. Officials said that several mistakes in the voters’ list were brought to the notice of the election commission officials.

It is learnt that educated unemployed youths would be hired to conduct a survey and correct the names, besides compiling them in Urdu. According to an estimate, 1,080 youths will be assigned the job for survey in the 72 municipal corporation constituencies in Malegaon.

The Times of India, March 20,2010

Malegaon delegation seeks speedy probe

Mateen Hafeez I TNN

MUMBAI: A 30-member delegation from Malegaon, led by textile town's former MLA Nihal Ahmed, on Wednesday met anti-terrorism squad (ATS) chief K P Raghuvanshi and demanded that the investigation into the September 2008 blast case be expedited.

The delegation, comprising representatives of social, religious and political organisations, spoke to Raghuvanshi and additional commissioner Param Bir Singh.

"The number of suspects who were conspiring to fight the constitution could not be limited to a dozen. This seems to be part of a larger conspiracy. The remaining accused should be arrested at the earliest,'' Ahmed said.

Ahmed, who has been pushing for a speedy probe, was invited by the ATS to discuss the issue. "I asked the ATS chief if this case, where the conspiracy is spread over several states, could be handed over to the newly-formed National Investigation Agency. Investigators need to uncover the conspirators who are planning to break the country,'' said Ahmed.

"Several people have been made witness, while some of them have not even given their statements in the case. An army colonel and some people from hard-line organisations are also part of the conspiracy, but no action has been taken against them,'' said Dr Raees, a participant. The delegation also met home minister, Jayant Patil, and reiterated their demand.

Param Bir Singh said, "Our investigation is sincere and transparent."


(The Times of India, Feb 5, 2009)