ATS grills man who did recce on Vashi theatre

Mateen Hafeez I TNN
Mumbai: The anti-terrorism squad (ATS) on Saturday questioned Dr Hemant Chalke, a sympathiser of Sanatan Sanstha, a revivalist group run by Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, about a survey that he had conducted at Vashi’s Bhave auditorium before a bomb was planted there last month.

Chalke’s name cropped up while the police questioned the accused, Mangesh Nikam, Ramesh Gadkari, Santosh Angre and Vikram Bhave, who were arrested for their alleged role in the Thane, Vashi and Panvel blasts. They are all reportedly sevaks of Sanatan Sanstha.

An electro-homeopath from Indra Gandhi Institute in Bandra, Chalke stopped practising after the medical course was de-recognised by the Medical Council of India. A resident of Chiplun, Chalke was arrested along with eight others, for being involved in a bomb blast in Ratnagiri. However, he was acquitted on April 17.

“He had conducted a survey before a bomb was planted at Vashi’s Bhave theatre where the play Amhi Pachpute was being staged. We are questioning him now,’’ said inspector B B Rathor.

The police now plan to question the staff of Thane’s Gadkari Rangayatan theatre where the CCTV intalled in the parking lot—the blast site—was switched off between 1.30 pm and 4 pm. The explosion occurred around 4.10 pm. “The manager of the theatre said the CCTV was switched off against his order and they are conducting an internal inquiry,’’ said ATS chief Hemant Karkare. The metal door detector at Vashi’s theatre was also switched off on the day a bomb was found there.

The Times of India, June 22, 2008