Probe into Hindutva terror cases to continue

Amid preparations for the Narendra Modi-led NDA government to take charge at the Centre, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday said it will continue with its probe into right-wing Hindutva terror cases, which were entrusted to them by the outgoing UPA government.

The NIA is currently investigating half-a-dozen cases related to Hindutva terror, including the Samjhauta blasts case. Asked about the progress made in such cases, NIA Director General Sharad Kumar said, “Investigations are on.”
His remark came at a press conference called to brief the media about the agency’s arrest of four persons allegedly involved in the Patna serial blasts in Bihar in October last.

Recently, a terror accused Swami Aseemanand had created a flutter by claiming RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and other leaders like Indresh, who was under the scanner for terror links, had prior knowledge about the Samjhauta blasts.

In a taped interview with Caravan magazine, he said that his acts were sanctioned by the highest-level leaders of the RSS. However, later he claimed that he did not give such an interview. While Aseemanand and other high-profile accused like Sadhvi Pragya and Col P S Purohit, accused in multiple cases, two important links — an engineer Sunil Dange and electrician Ramchandra Kalsangra – are absconding.

While activists alleged that the agency was pursuing a “go-slow” approach on terror cases related to right-wing outfits during the later phases of UPA, now the challenge before the NIA in the new dispensation would be to take a final call on whether to press charges against certain people, who were earlier questioned.

One of the cases entrusted to the NIA, which was formed as a dedicated wing to investigate terror cases in the aftermath of Mumbai attacks, was the Samjhauta blasts. Even before NIA took over, the CBI pointed fingers at the role of right-wing elements.

Swami Aseemanand, who was initially arrested in Malegaon blasts case, allegedly made a confession statement pointing to Hindutva involvement in Samjhauta blasts and some other terror attacks. However, he later retracted saying it was done under duress. The agency has filed two chargesheets in Panchkula courts naming Aseemanand and others.