http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ats-joins-dots-draws-lines-to-samjhauta-blast/714316/0
The Rajasthan Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) chargesheet in the 2007 Ajmer Dargah blasts clearly establishes a link between the group responsible for the Ajmer conspiracy and the Samjhauta Express blast on February 19, 2007, which left 68 dead.
It mentions that the materials and equipment used in both incidents were similar and sourced from areas in and around Indore in Madhya Pradesh. Incidentally, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing the blast in the trans-border Samjhauta Express — which runs between Delhi and Lahore — has already questioned those in ATS custody several times in the past few months.
The ATS chargesheet reads, "It is worth mentioning that the evidence gathered in the aftermath of the Samjhauta Express blast on February 19, 2007, is similar to the materials and equipment used in the Ajmer Dargah blast as well as the modus operandi. One can infer from this that the Samjhauta Express blast could be the handiwork of the same terrorist outfit responsible for the Ajmer Dargah blast."
The Ajmer blast chargesheet also mentions that those arrested in connection with the case were from Indore and surrounding areas, to where the materials used in the Samjhauta blast have been traced.
A senior ATS official on grounds of anonymity told The Indian Express that the similarities were too strong to ignore. "From our investigations into the Ajmer blast and the probe into the Samjhauta incident, we found that the bombs used in the two incidents were similar in all manner and make except for the timer device used. This we believe was done on purpose to serve as a red herring," he said.
Senior officials from the NIA also confirmed that they had visited Rajasthan several times since the first arrest (Devendra Gupta) in the Ajmer case on April 29, 2010. A senior official, though tight-lipped about the probe, said: "There seem to be some similarities in the two cases and we have questioned those accused in the Ajmer blast case in this regard."
According to the ATS, of the six accused in the Ajmer case, five hail from Indore and surrounding areas, except Gupta, who is from Ajmer. While Lokesh Sharma, the alleged main supplier of materials; Sandeep Dange, the suspected bomb maker; and Ramji Kalsangra, another "bomb maker", are all from Indore; Sunil Joshi, believed to be the brains behind the plot and Chandrashekhar Leve, a courier, hail from Dewas and Shajapur in MP, which are 45 km and 120 km from Indore respectively.
According to the ATS chargesheet, the list of targets, as garnered from questioning those in custody, included Delhi's Jama Masjid, the Ajmer Dargah, the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad, the Samjhauta Express and Malegaon, which have all witnessed terror attacks.
Senior ATS officials believe, as stated in their chargesheet, that Dange and Gupta were RSS pracharaks, and Sharma, Kalsangra and Leve were RSS workers in their respective cities, who were all brought together under Swami Aseemanand, who was recently arrested by the CBI from Haridwar.
The Rajasthan Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) chargesheet in the 2007 Ajmer Dargah blasts clearly establishes a link between the group responsible for the Ajmer conspiracy and the Samjhauta Express blast on February 19, 2007, which left 68 dead.
It mentions that the materials and equipment used in both incidents were similar and sourced from areas in and around Indore in Madhya Pradesh. Incidentally, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing the blast in the trans-border Samjhauta Express — which runs between Delhi and Lahore — has already questioned those in ATS custody several times in the past few months.
The ATS chargesheet reads, "It is worth mentioning that the evidence gathered in the aftermath of the Samjhauta Express blast on February 19, 2007, is similar to the materials and equipment used in the Ajmer Dargah blast as well as the modus operandi. One can infer from this that the Samjhauta Express blast could be the handiwork of the same terrorist outfit responsible for the Ajmer Dargah blast."
The Ajmer blast chargesheet also mentions that those arrested in connection with the case were from Indore and surrounding areas, to where the materials used in the Samjhauta blast have been traced.
A senior ATS official on grounds of anonymity told The Indian Express that the similarities were too strong to ignore. "From our investigations into the Ajmer blast and the probe into the Samjhauta incident, we found that the bombs used in the two incidents were similar in all manner and make except for the timer device used. This we believe was done on purpose to serve as a red herring," he said.
Senior officials from the NIA also confirmed that they had visited Rajasthan several times since the first arrest (Devendra Gupta) in the Ajmer case on April 29, 2010. A senior official, though tight-lipped about the probe, said: "There seem to be some similarities in the two cases and we have questioned those accused in the Ajmer blast case in this regard."
According to the ATS, of the six accused in the Ajmer case, five hail from Indore and surrounding areas, except Gupta, who is from Ajmer. While Lokesh Sharma, the alleged main supplier of materials; Sandeep Dange, the suspected bomb maker; and Ramji Kalsangra, another "bomb maker", are all from Indore; Sunil Joshi, believed to be the brains behind the plot and Chandrashekhar Leve, a courier, hail from Dewas and Shajapur in MP, which are 45 km and 120 km from Indore respectively.
According to the ATS chargesheet, the list of targets, as garnered from questioning those in custody, included Delhi's Jama Masjid, the Ajmer Dargah, the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad, the Samjhauta Express and Malegaon, which have all witnessed terror attacks.
Senior ATS officials believe, as stated in their chargesheet, that Dange and Gupta were RSS pracharaks, and Sharma, Kalsangra and Leve were RSS workers in their respective cities, who were all brought together under Swami Aseemanand, who was recently arrested by the CBI from Haridwar.