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ATS: Malegaon blast suspects part of larger conspiracy

Staff Reporter

Police custody for Kulkarni, Upadhyay

Duo to undergo narco analysis, polygraph tests
ATS denies torture charge

Mumbai: The two suspects, Sameer Kulkarni and Ramesh Upadhyay, arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in connection with the Malegaon blast were part of a “larger conspiracy,” Additional Commissioner (ATS) Sukhwinder Singh told a press conference here on Wednesday.

However, he did not reveal what the “larger conspiracy” was, stating it was still being investigated.

The ATS briefing comes a day after Kulkarni, 34, and Upadhyay, 57, were arrested. They were produced in a Nashik court on Wednesday and remanded to police custody till November 10.

Both suspects are residents of Pune. Upadhyay is an ex-Army officer who retired in 1998.

Despite prodding by journalists, Mr. Singh said, “We will not share operational details and leads [with the media] at the moment. The specific roles of the suspects will be shared later.”

Mr. Singh denied that the suspects were tortured. When journalists pointed out that Upadhyay had mentioned in the court about the use of “third degree” methods, he categorically refuted the charge.

The suspects have been charged under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (causing grievous injury with dangerous weapons), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 123 (concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war) and 130 (aiding in escape of, rescuing or harbouring state prisoner) of the Indian Penal Code, and under Sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Explosives Act.

PTI reports from Nashik:

Upholding the ATS plea, civil judge P.G. Patil ordered brain-mapping, narco analysis and polygraph tests on Upadhyay and Kulkarni after the police said one of them was in touch with Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, already held in the case.

Public prosecutor Ajay Misar said it was necessary to keep the accused in 14-day police custody for investigation as a forensic report revealed the use of explosives like RDX in the September 29 Malegaon blast, which claimed six lives.

Mr. Misar said Upadhyay and Sadhvi Pragya (a former office-bearer of the BJP student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) had remained in communication.

Upadhyay denied meeting her and his involvement in the blast. “I shared the dais with the Sadhvi only once and did not have any communication with her for a long time since then.” He said: “I was in the Army and a patriot and would never involve in any anti-national activities.”

He said: “I am a heart patient and if remanded I will need a daily medical check-up.”

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