Amid indications that the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of Rajasthan police may interrogate senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Indresh Kumar in connection with the 2007 Ajmer dargah blast, a lower court in Ajmer on Tuesday committed to the Sessions Court trial of the case. Three persons breaking Ramzan fast were killed in the blast.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Ratan Lal Moond, in whose court the ATS filed charge sheet against the five accused last Friday and named Mr. Kumar as having provided “guidance” to them, fixed the next hearing before the District and Sessions Judge on November 2 after the sessions' committal.
The Sessions Court is expected to hear the arguments on charges from both prosecution and defence sides following the cognisance taken by the CJM against the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Explosives Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Though the ATS is officially silent on the possibility of any kind of action against Mr. Kumar, the RSS national executive council's member, there were indications that the RSS leader could be called in for questioning within a few weeks.
The 806-page charge sheet claimed that Mr. Kumar had presided over a secret meeting of key conspirators of the Ajmer blast at a guesthouse in Jaipur on October 31, 2005, in which the responsibilities for different works were assigned to each of them. The ATS, which has not arraigned Mr. Kumar as an accused, has informed the court under Section 173(8) of the Cr.PC that investigation is in progress.
Conclusive proof
The ATS is reportedly working on the leads which may give conclusive proof of Mr. Kumar being involved in the conspiracy. The Gujarat Samaj guesthouse records have provided clues to investigators that the accused persons had stayed there under false names.
Even though an action against Mr. Kumar seems imminent, the ATS is still not naming the RSS as the mastermind behind the blast. The five accused in the blast case include Devendra Gupta (who is also affiliated to Abhinav Bharat), Lokesh Sharma and Chandrashekhar Lave. Two of the accused – Sandeep Dange and Ramji Kalsangre – are stated to be absconding, while another accused, Sunil Joshi from Indore, was murdered during the course of investigation.
Devendra and Lokesh were produced in the CJM's court after being brought from Hyderabad, where they had been interrogated about the Makkah Masjid blast. Chandrashekhar, in judicial custody in Ajmer, was also produced.
Muslim groups have demanded action against the RSS under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
