Missing Malegaon witness had told ATS of Sadhvi, Kalsangra roles

In his statement to the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad, the missing witness in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, Dalip Patidar, had described the alleged roles of Sadhvi Pragya Singh and RSS member Ramji Kalsangra.

The ATS later got the statements of Patidar and another associate of Kalsangra, Dharmendra Bairagi, recorded before a magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC. Believed to have been present with Kalsangra when the latter escaped from Ujjain in October 2008, Bairagi had told the ATS about a conversation that reportedly took place between Pragya and Kalsangra.

Both Patidar and Bairagi later retracted their statements and filed a petition against the ATS in an Indore court.

Recently, the case took another turn when the CBI sought sanction to charge Mumbai ATS officers in connection with the Patidar's disappearance. The CBI, which investigated the blast on the directions of the Indore High Court, submitted a report this month that it believed Patidar had been killed, though it had not been able to trace his corpse.

Bairagi and Patidar's statements are part of the chargesheet filed by the ATS in 2009. Excerpts from the statements, available with The Indian Express:

DILIP PATIDAR:

"...I am staying at Rajeev Awas Vihar along with my family and used to repair fridges and ACs. In 1998, I came to Indore to learn work from Ramji. When I started earning, I shifted and started living on rent and began my own work. In 2003, I got married. I have a car and a scooter... During the demolition of the Babri Masjid, Ramji suffered a fracture in his leg... and got married in hospital. He also used to organise programmes for the Sangh and travel out of Indore..."

"...In 2007, I had gone to meet Ramji at his house when I met a sadhvi. Ramji introduced me to her [as] Pragya Didi. I conveyed my regards to her... Ramji was in possession of a light golden Freedom motorcycle, GJ 05 1920 [this was reportedly used in the blast]. Ramji told me this motorcycle was given to him by Pragya Didi... In 2008, during Dussehra, I went to Ramji's place along with my family. I also saw Ramji's relatives and friends but his motorcycle was not there...

... contd.

ALSO READ

Konkan Fruit Festival to be held between May 10-12

Karnataka election results live: Cong set to form govt, BJP faces rout as JDS gains

The how & why of Railway Board posts

Congress issues whip to its Lok Sabha members on Food Security Bill