Charge sheet filed in arms haul case

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad on Wed-nesday filed more than six thousand pages’ char-ge sheet before a special NIA court against twelve accused arrested in connection with Nalasopara arms haul case.

The ATS through special public prosecutor Raja Thakrey and chief public prosecutor Jaysingh Desai submitted the chargesheet before special NIA court presided over by judge Vinod Padalkar.

The chargesheet is more than 6,800 pages consisting of statements of around 186 witnesses and three persons have been shown as wanted accused.

The twelve arrested accused named in the chargesheet are Sharad Bhausaheb Kalskar (25), Vaibhav Subhash Raut (44), Sudhanwa Sudhir Gondhlekar (39), Shrikant Jagnath Pangarkar (40), Avinash Anant Pawar (30), Leeladhar Ukhirde (32), Vasudeo Bhagwan Suryawanshi (19), Suchit Kumar Rangswamy (37), Bharat Jayawant Kurne (37), Amol Arvind Kale (34 years), Amit Ramchandra Baddi (27) and Ganesh Dasharath Miskin (28).

According to the probe agency the accused were also members of different organisations like Sanathan Sanstha, Hindu Janjagruti and some other small organisations.

The prosecuting agency has alleged that the accused had drawn their motivation of making efforts towards establishment of so called Hindu Rashtra as explained in the book called ‘Kshatra Dharma Sadhana’, published by Sanathan Sanstha.

According to prosecution, “They (accused) had conspired to form a terrorist gang of youths with similar mindset, which work towards undermining unity, integrity, security and sovereignty of the country.”

It further stated, “Towards this end, the gang had planned to use country-made pistols, country-made bombs, etc. and target the individuals who would speak, write, perform against the so called Hindu Dharma, its traditions and customs besides targeting similar kinds of programmes in order to terrorise the minds of the common people.”

 The ATS has claimed, “It was revealed during investigation that the terrorist gang had targeted a Western Musical programme called ‘Sunburn’ which was to be organised in Pune in December 2017, the terrorist gang had planned to use country-made bombs, petrol bombs, fire arms and indulge in heavy stone pelting in order to send a strong message to the followers of Western music and Western culture and terrorise the minds of all those who would attend the said programme.”

However, according to police, “The gang had recceed and completely prepared itself in undertaking this attack on programme but dropped its plan at the last moment because as one of the accused informed others that possibly he has been exposed to one of the CCTV cameras installed at the venue of this programme.”

The agency has claimed that it has also been revealed during investigation that the terrorist gang had recceed (with  intention to harm them physically) rational individuals, speakers, litterateurs, etc. who target the Hindu religion and its traditions and customs.