ATS men find detonators, gelatin sticks in Pen river

PROBE IN THEATRE BOMB CASES

Mateen Hafeez I TNN
Mumbai: The anti-terrorism squad (ATS), probing the Thane theatre bomb blast, on Friday recovered a large number of gelatin sticks, detonators, timers and circuits from a river in Pen. These had been dumped by an employee of Vikram Bhave’s father, who
runs an ayurvedic factory in Pen. Bhave has been held for his alleged role in the blast.

The ATS on Friday detained Hari Divekar (35), also a police ‘patil’, whose name cropped up during the interrogation of Bhave. Divekar has been brought to Mumbai and is being questioned by the ATS. He is likely to be arrested on charges of destruction of evidence.
Bhave (26) along with three others, Ramesh Gadkari (50), Mangesh Nikam (34) and Santosh Angre (26), all sevaks of Sanatan Sanstha, was arrested earlier his week in connection with the Thane, Panvel and Vashi hall cases.

An ATS team arrived in Satara on Thursday midnight and searched Nikam’s house. The police claimed to have recovered six batteries, one timer and half-a-dozen detonators from a place near Nikam’s house. The seizure was hidden after Gadkari informed Nikam about his interrogation by the police in Mumbai. The police are yet to corroborate whether it was buried by Nikam or someone else did the job for him.

In another search conducted early on Friday morning at Pen, the ATS first detained Divekar, who led them to the places where he had dumped 19 gelatin sticks, timers, 20 detonators, seven circuits and 12 batteries. “Divekar, a police ‘patil’ in Pen, had done this job. He is a manager at a factory owned by Bhave’s father,’’ said additional commissioner of police Param Bir Singh. “I have been told that some detonators and batteries were thrown in the river to destroy evidence,’’ said ATS chief Hemant Karkare. An officer said the seizure more arrests were likely in the case.

The Times of India, June 21, 2008

They spent savings to blast theatres

Sevaks Used Rs 20K For Making Five Bombs

Mateen Hafeez I TNN
Mumbai: The sevaks of Sanatan Sanstha, a Hindu revivalist group, arrested for their alleged role in the recent bomb blasts, on Wednesday said that they had collected the money for making bombs from their own savings and spent around Rs 20,000 on making five bombs.

The sevaks, Ramesh Hanumant Gadkari (50), Mangesh Nikam (34), Santosh Angre (26) and Vikram Bhave (26) were booked for their alleged role in the Thane, Vashi and Panvel blasts.

“Gadkari, Bhave and Nikam knew how to make bombs. They were all present when the bombs were being manufactured. We are questioning them on who taught them, ‘’ said an officer. Moreover, the accused told the police that they did not take anyone’s financial help for making the bombs. “During the interrogation, the accused said that they had collected the money from their savings. We are questioning them and trying to find out who was the brain behind the blasts,’’ said the officer.

“We want to find out which channel is funding them and their support system. Our teams have reached Satara and Ratnagiri and we are hopeful of getting some evidence from there,’’ anti-terrorism squad chief Hemant Karkare said.

The accused had bought shrapnel from Panvel, eight timers from Lohar Chawl for Rs 550 each and asked for a 5% discount. “The batteries were bought from a shop at Grant Road. We will now record the statements of the employees of these shops and their owners,’’ the police said. The circuits for the bombs were made by Gadkari who holds a diploma in Electronics Engineering. Detonators, gelatin sticks and ammonium nitrate were obtained from the city. The ATS is likely to subject the accused to narco analysis and lie-detector tests as their statements are not matchig. For instance, Gadkari initially told the police that his wife, Neela, a sevika, was with him when he went to plant a bomb at Thane’s Gadkari Rangayatan hall. Later, he changed his statement saying Bhave was with him.

While Nikam was involved in a bomb blast case at Ratnagiri in 2006 and was acquitted for it, Bhave was booked for an assault case by the Navi Mumbai police. According to sources, a girl who had left her house and decided to stay at Sanatan Ashram had refused to go home, when her relatives came to take her. A fight broke out between her relatives and some sevaks, Bhave was involved. The ATS said that they were waiting for case papers to arrive from Navi Mumbai.

While Gadkari and Angre stayed at Sanatan Ashram at Devat near Panvel, Nikam was arrested from Satara and Bhave was picked up from Wadala. The bombs were manufactured at Bhave’s house.

Gadkari and Bhave had told the police that they had planted a bomb outside a mosque on Pen highway to check its intensity on Diwali, last year. “They said it was a mosque or dargah but it was, in fact, a qabrastan (cemetery). They had planted the bomb outside the qabrastan to test it,’’ said an officer. (Most e Muslim cemeteries have a mosque where namaz is offered for the dead).

We shun violence, say Sanatan sevaks
Navi Mumbai: Sahil (name changed) is a regular ‘sadhak’ (disciple) at the Panvel Sanatan Sanstha at Devad village, which is currently in the news in connection with bomb blasts during the staging of a Marathi play in Thane.

Sahil said that like most of the 150 sadhaks and sadhikas (inmates) at the Sanstha, he too is shocked by the arrest of persons associated with the organization. “I am an engineering topper from a prominent Mumbai college, and have been coming here for meditation for the last eight years as I quite like this place. It is meant for peace and spiritual growth, and not to propagate violence, such as bomb blasts,’’ said Sahil.

The spokesperson for the Sanstha, Abhay Vartak, condemned the recent acts of violence. He, however, added that they also condemn the cheap and demeaning portrayal of Hindu deities, and misrepresentation of mythology in certain films and plays. “The English film Love Guru, for example, makes a mockery of our Indian values. Though I have personally not seen Jodha Akbar, I have been told that they have fabricated history to show a Rajput king willingly marrying his daughter to the Mughal king.’’

But Varkat added that such bad portrayals in the media still do not call for bombings or any other form of violence. “Our Sanstha completely believes in peace and spiritual growth. We believe in peaceful forms of protests if something hurts us; which is why the recent arrests have totally shocked us,’’ he reasoned.

A regular day for sadhaks and sadhikas here begins at 6.30 am with half-hour of Yoga. At 7 pm, they freshen up, and begin ‘chanting meditation for 30 minutes till 8 am. From 8.10 am to 8.30 am, they offer aarti to the gods, and then proceed for breakfast.

“From 9 am onwards, they begin their regular duties, which include work at the fabrication workshop, some prefer vehicle repairs at our inhouse garage, while other sadhaks and sadhikas do office accounting work or any job assigned to them,’’ said Vartak.

Television is switched on mainly to watch news channels. Lunch is served at 12.30 am,At 5 pm, it’s time for tea and snacks. At 6 pm they again perform aarti, and by 10 pm they go to sleep. “There is no compulsion for them to stay; anyone can walk out at free will. Sometimes we also receive international visitors who want to learn about Indian spirituality,’’ said Vartak.

Adding that the have fully cooperated with the ATS, leading to the recent arrests, Vartak reiterated that there is no place for violence in their abode. “In a recent comical play, Lord Krishna is shown coming down on earth and mouthing the dialogue that he wanted to pee. Such acts are very disrespectful, cheap and bad comedy, but we protest legally,’’ he said.

The Times of India, June 19, 2008

Sevaks planted bomb outside mosque last Diwali

SINISTER PLOT: The sevaks had planted bombs in halls at Thane (picture above) and Vashi

Mateen Hafeez I TNN
Mumbai: The sevaks of Hindu revivalist group Sanatan Sanstha, who were arrested for allegedly being involved in some recent blasts , told the police that they had planted a bomb outside a mosque/dargah on the Pen highway last Diwali. They apparently wanted to check the intensity of the bomb, but it did not explode.

The confession came on Tuesday after the anti-terrorism squad (ATS) arrested two more sevaks, Santosh Angre (26) and Vikram Bhave (26), who reportedly planted the bombs at the Bhave auditorium in Vashi and Thane’s Gadkari Rangayatan. Seven persons were injured in the Thane blast on June 4.

The police made a breakthrough by arresting Ramesh Hanumant Gadkari (50) and Mangesh Nikam (34). The four accused have been sent to police custody till June 24. While Gadkari stayed at Sanatan Ashram in Devat near Panvel, Nikam belongs to Satara.

According to the accused, they had manufactured at least five bombs. While three of them were planted in Panvel, Vashi and Thane, one was planted in a dustbin at Pen but it did not go off. “Gadkari and Bhave said they had planted a bomb outside a mosque or dargah on the Pen highway. Our teams are verifying the claim,’’ said investigating officer B B Rathor.

With this revelation, the ATS is now going through the records of those arrested for the Jalana, Porna and Parbhani mosque blasts to find if there is any connection between the two groups.

While an officer said the bombs were made at Bhave’s house, an ATS team had been camping at Sanatan Ashram, trying to get evidence.

Angre, who stayed at Sanatan’s Ashram, was picked up from there and Bhave, a resident of Pen near Ratnagiri, was arrested from Wadala where he was hiding at his in-law’s house.

“The accused had bought around eight timers, which were to be used in the bombs. While five timers were used, the other three were thrown away near a nullah in Panvel,’’ said the officer.

Angre, a school dropout, was in the business of preparing and selling ayurvedic medicines. He left home and stayed at the ashram. Two motorcycles used by the accused and Ashram’s logbook have been seized.

According to police, the accused did not regret their act. “We are proud of what we did to deter those who were trying to show our gods and goddesses in poor light,’’ the accused told the invesigators.

On Tuesday, Gadkari, an engineering diploma-holder, told the court, “The police are putting pressure on my family and not considering my statement. They want a statement according to their will.’’ However, he did not complain about any physical torture.
“This is an allegation,’’ said ATS chief Hemant Karkare.

The Times of India, June 18, 2008

This businessman shut shop to become a sevak

NABBED: The ATS squad takes Ramesh Gadkari (C) and Mangesh Nikam (in white shirt) to the Mazgaon court on Monday

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: Ramesh Gadkari, a sevak of the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, a religious organisation, arrested in connection with the Thane and Vashi theatre blasts, was so convinced with the Samiti’s preaching that he sold his electronics shop a few years ago and started living at the organisation’s hostel near Panvel.

The 50-year-old diploma-holder in electronics engineering was arrested on Monday along with another sevak, Mangesh Nikam. He was booked under various charges of the Indian Penal Code and the Explosive Act.

“Gadkari had an electronics shop, Umresh Electricals, at Andheri between 1981 and 2000 and the shop was doing well. During that time he came in touch with the sevaks of the Samiti and was so convinced by its preaching that he decided to become one,” said inspector B B Rathor. “He sold his shop and deposited the money in a bank. The family lives on the interest earned through this deposit. Three years ago, he left his Sangli residence and shifted to Sanatan Sanstha near Panvel.’’

Gadkari’s wife Neela also became a sevika, says Rathor. “Even his two son-inlaws are also sevaks of Sanatan. He would take part in the organisation’s activities and had also opposed the play Amhi Pachpute. The Samiti had earlier said the play had shown Hindu gods and goddesses in poor light and they had protested against it,’’ added Rathor.

The ATS said Gadkari along with Nikam conspired to avenge the humiliation. “Nikam, a resident of Satara, had learnt how to make bombs from a welldigger. He used to come to Sanatan and befriended Gadkari. During the recent protest, the duo decided to take the initiative and Nikam brought detonators, explosive, shrapnel, ammonium nitrate and other ingredients and made the bomb in a room at Sanatan’s hostel,’’ said an officer. One more person identified as Dave was present while the bomb was being made.

Another bomb was made at Dave’s residence in Ratnagiri. Nikam had taught Gadkari, Dave and three others how to make bombs. “The accused hatched the bomb blast conspiracy in the last week of January,’’ said an officer. Gadkari had kept some detonators and explosives at Nikam’s residence and asked him to destroy it after he was summoned for questioning.

“Nikam was arrested along with eight others for planting a bomb outside the door of one Ashok Chavan at Shanti Nagar Nachne in Ratnagiri. A Christian missionary, preaching to Chavan and Nikam, felt that Chavan would be converted. The police arrested all the nine accused but they were acquitted by the court on April 17 this year,’’ said the officer.

The bombs were manufactured just six to eight hours in advance from the time fixed on the timer.

“Gadkari had rode out on a motorcycle from the hostel to plant the bomb and its registration number was recorded at the hostel’s entry gate. The same motorcycle was parked at the Thane theatre’s parking lot and there also the number was registered. Gadkari left the parking lot after planting the bomb on June 4. On that day he rode around 150 km before returning,’’ added an officer.
mateen.hafeez@timesgroup.com

The Times of India, June 17, 2008

2 of religious group held for Thane blast

THANE, PANVEL BLAST


TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: Two sevaks (followers) of Sanatan Sanstha, a religious group run by the revivalist Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, were arrested on Monday morning by the anti-terrorism squad (ATS) for their alleged role in planting bombs at theatres in Thane and Vashi.

Seven persons were injured when a bomb went off in the parking lot of the Thane theatre on June 4. The motive behind the blasts was to deter the producer of the farce, Amhi Pachpute, from staging the play. Both the theatres were staging the play. The Sanstha had earlier objected to the play, saying that Hindu mythological figures were being shown in poor light.

Religious group unaware of duo’s role
Mumbai: Ramesh Hanumant Gadkari (50) and Mangesh Nikam (34), the two persons arrested for the blasts at theatres in Thane and Vashi, were produced before the Mazgaon court and sent to police custody till June 24.

While Gadkari stayed at the Sanatan Sanstha’s ashram at Devat near Panvel, Nikam belongs to Satara. Later in the evening, Abhay Vartak, Sanatan spokesperson, said that they had no knowledge of the duo’s activities and that they had done it on their own. “We condemn the blasts. There is no place for violence in our organisation.’’

“We have arrested the duo for their role in the blasts and have got documentary evidence to prove their involvement in the blasts. Gadkari had planted the bomb at Thane’s Gadkari Rangayatan hall in which seven persons were injured.

The play, Amhi Pachpute was to be staged there on June 4 afternoon when the bomb went off,’’ said ATS Hemant Karkare said. He added that the police was looking for those who funded the
bomb blasts and what was the source of this money. The police could not seize any thing from Gadkari’s room in the Ashram.

“The office bearers of the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti had written to the Thane police commissioner protesting the play. They said that the Hindu God and Goddess were shown in poor light and that permission to stage the play should not be granted. Gadkari and his accomplices then decided to take revenge and planted bombs,’’ added Karkare.

On May 31, the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) defused a bomb found in a plastic carry bag at Vashi’s auditorium. It contained batteries, gelatin sticks, detonators and ammonium nitrate.

The play Amhi Pachpute was to be staged here too. On February 20, a similar bomb was planted in at Panvel’s Cineraj cinema during the screening of Jodhha Akbar. The bomb created no more damage than a small fire cracker and went unnoticed till the end of the show.

The ATS has indicated that more arrests are likely to follow in this case. “Gadkari and Nikam are full-time sevaks for Sanatan for the last three years. Their links with any terror outfit is yet to be established. Nikam taught Gadkari about bomb-making and one of the two bombs was manufactured within the premises of Sanatan Ashram,’’ said investigating officer B B Rathor. Nikam had provided a detonator and explosives to make the bomb.

The police got the clues from the number of the motorcycle used by the bombers. The licence number was entered in the log book of the Thane theatre’s parking lot. “We have got evidence of their involvement and are looking for at least half a dozen accused in this case,’’ said Param Bir Singh, additional commissioner of ATS.

The police, however, do not have the close circuit television footage of Gadkari while parking the bike at Thane theatre since the close circuit television was switched off between 1.30 pm to 4 pm on that day. The police, however, has got the log record of the bike that Gadkari had used. The bike was the property of Grukrupa Pratishthan, which runs the ashram.

The Times of India, June 17, 2008

Madrasa student cracks UPSC

Maulana Waseem is a madrassa product who cracked civil services in 2008

Mateen Hafeez I TNN
Mumbai: At a time when eyebrows are being raised on the kind of education being imparted in madrasas across the country, a maulana from the Darul-Uloom-Deoband in Uttar Pradesh has passed the country’s most elite examination, the Civil Services exam, in his fourth attempt. Moreover, for his interview, the maulana took training from the RSS-run institute Samkalp at Paharganj in New Delhi.

Maulana Waseem-ur-Rehman, 31, is the first madrasa product who has cleared the civil services exams in the country. Brother of a truck driver, Rehman comes from a poor family in Siddharth Nagar, Basti, UP. He stood 404th among the 734 successful candidates. Rehman, who took history and Persian as hisoptional subjects, wrote his answer paper in Urdu.

Speaking to TOI, Rehman said that he worked hard for four years to crack the exam. “In my three earlier attempts, I failed in the prelim exams. This time, it being my last chance, I worked harder and made it a point to pass the exams. By the grace of Allah I am among the successful candidates,’’ he said.

Rehman completed his five-year school education from a madrasa, Ahyaul Uloom, before joining the Darul-Uloom-Deoband, the most reputed Islamic institution in the country. He completed the three-year course in Islamic studies, Hadith (sayings of the Prophet), the Quran and Shariat laws from Deoband. “Our Deoband certificate is equivalent to graduation and on the basis of that I took admission in the Bachelor in Unani Medicine and Surgery course in Aligarh. Meanwhile, I realised that students from madrasas hardly think about joining the civil services and becoming part of the system. So I discussed this with my friends and teachers and started collecing books,’’ he said.

‘It was a great time working with Samkalp’
Mumbai: Maulana Waseem-ur-Rehman, who cleared the Civil Service Examination in fourth attempt, is the first madrasa product to pass the country’s most elite exam.

After completing his BUMS, he took admission in Master of Surgery, MD, and also passed this.

Initially, he even did not know that there was a proper syllabus for this exam. “I had to collect the books and notes from several places and would study at night and early in the morning since during the day time I would attend my college for MD course,’’ Rehman said. While his eldest brother does odd jobs, the second is a truck driver and the youngest is doing his MA in Islamic Studies at Aligarh.

Was studying for the Civil Service Exam difficult, since he came from a different academic background? “Yes, but madrasa education has given me the power to think and I have a good knowledge of philosophy as it was explained properly in the madrasa. I worked hard and the rest was in the hands of Allah,’’ said Rehman. Those on the interview panel for the exam asked Rehman to explain why the ratio of males to females is more equal for Muslims than for other communities. “I answered everything in the light of Islam and they were convinced by my replies,’’ he added.

Talking about his experience at the RSSrun Samkalp, Rehman said, “It was a great time. They even informed me that I was selected for the coaching class and called me up regularly until I joined them. I did not feel any biased attitude over there. They are doing a good job,’’ he said. Of 825 IAS aspirants trained by Samkalp, 295 have passed the exam this year.
mateen.hafeez@timesgroup.com

The Times of India,

Police seek Jolie’s bodyguards

THE BODY & THE GUARD: Hollywood star Angelina Jolie with her ‘racist’ minder

Kartikeya & Mateen Hafeez I TNN
Mumbai: The three bodyguards of star Hollywood couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who are wanted to stand trial for allegedly intimidating, insulting and assaulting parents at a local school during the shooting of the film A Mighty Heart in Mumbai have failed to turn up for a single court date.

On a visit to Anjuman-e-Islam school in South Mumbai for the shoot on November 16, 2006, a scuffle broke out between the three men—Thomas McAdam (47), Robert Dunn (35) and Michael Brett (50)—and parents who had come to pick up their children. One of the men is alleged to have abused a parent by calling him “You bloody Indian’’. All three bodyguards were arrested the next day and later released on bail.

Jolie herself had strongly denied the charges saying that she would never employ anybody who was racist as her own family was of mixed race. Brad Pitt, who was one of the producers of the film, had even met the then police commissioner A N Roy and said that his men could never hurt children.

But now when the time has come to prove their innocence in court the men are not to be found. All three are British nationals and booked under Section 323 of the IPC for “voluntarily causing hurt’’, under section 504, for “intentional insult to provoke breach of peace’’ and under section 506 for “criminal intimidation’’.

A chargesheet was filed in February 2007 but as the bodyguards failed to appear in court summons were issued asking them to remain present. “The address given by them was the Taj Hotel. The police went there but were told that they had left a long time ago,’’ said inspector Dhananjay Sonawane.

Cops to seek non-bailable warrants for Jolie guards
Mumbai: Thomas McAdam, Robert Dunn and Michael Brett, the British bodyguards of Hollywood stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt who have been accused of intimidating, insulting and assaulting parents of the students of Anjuman-e-Islam school, have for the last one year failed to turn up whenever the matter has been called out in court. The police said they will now ask the court to issue non-bailable warrants against the accused. The next hearing is on July 8.

The complainant in the case, Zubair Ahmed, a parent who was allegedly roughed up by the bodyguards, said he wanted the trial to start.

“If the men are as innocent as Angelina claimed, then why don’t they come to India and face trial?’’ Ahmed asked.

P0OR RECORDS
One of the accused, Michael Brett, was charged in June 2006 with assaulting a restaurateur in Namibia and injuring his eye. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were in Namibia to have their first biological child. Brett was granted bail.
The bodyguards were caught on camera roughing up a British cameraman in Pune

The Times of India, May 24, 2008