All those arrested from Tamil Nadu on charges of involvement in the April 17 Bangalore bomb blast “are innocent and have been falsely implicated,” said B. Mohan, an advocate, who led a fact- finding committee constituted by the National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations (NCHRO).
A total of 17 persons were injured in the blast. The fact-finding committee comprised seven members, including lawyers, a professor from Karnataka and human rights activists.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Mr. Mohan called for the immediate transfer of the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA)
He alleged that the Bangalore Crime Branch Police did not provide clear explanation about the 16 SIM cards that were allegedly seized from the accused or the Tamil Nadu-registered motorcycle on which the bomb was planted.
“Of the 16 SIM cards, one belongs to a prominent local BJP leader. However, the police have not properly investigated this angle,” he alleged.
He also alleged that Kichan Buhari, one of the prime accused in the case, was tortured in police custody. The investigation team had planted evidence during search operations to frame innocent persons.
The team suspected the involvement of right-wing extremists in the blast,
Mr. Mohan added that the investigating officer in the case had refused to meet them despite several attempts to clarify certain points in the FIR and police investigation.
