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News/Probe-reveals-startling-facts-in-Margao-blast/33981.html
Probe reveals startling facts in Margao blast
HERALD REPORTER
NIA takes custody of four accused
MARGAO, FEB 25
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken custody of the four
accused persons arrested in the Margao bomb blast case, even as
investigations has revealed startling facts that persons from
Ratnagiri, Pune, Mangalore besides the accused from Goa were present
at the test explosion carried out at Ponda by the accused.
Investigations by the NIA has revealed that accused Dhananjay Ashtekar
from Ratnagiri-Maharashtra had prepared as many as 12 circuits, out
of which he brought five circuits to Goa in August 2009.
Thereafter the test of the Improvised Explosive Devices were prepared
by using a gelatine stick and the same was test exploded on August
24-25 in the jungles behind the house of Laxmikant Naik, who happens
to be the brother of Yogesh Naik, who died in the bomb blast in
Margao.
Interestingly, the NIA has claimed before the Judicial Magistrate
First Class, Margao on Thursday that at the time of the test
explosion, around eight persons were present at the site. They
included deceased Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik, Vinay Talekar,
Dhananjay Ashtekar, Prashant Juvekar of Ratnagiri, Sarang Kulkarni of
Pune, Jayprakash alia Anna, a resident of Mangalore and an unknown
person.
National Investigation Agency’s Chief Investigating Officer, S Vijayan
told the court that accused Dilip Mangaonkar, who is presently in
custody, was an active partner to the conspiracy and the preparation
of offence committed in the case, of which the agency submitted the
case diary for perusal of the material.
Meanwhile, Senior Counsel S B Faria, representing the NIA before
Judicial Magistrate First Class submitted that the accused are
required in the custody of NIA for further interrogation to unearth
the conspiracy.
He submitted that as per the provisions of the Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act, 1967, investigating officers can have the custody of
accused for 30 days, adding that in the instant case, the accused were
in custody of Goa police only for a period ranging from 19 days to 14
days.
The Judicial Magistrate First Class later granted the remand
application for the custody of the accused.
Faria later told newsmen that the four accused are required in the
custody of NIA not just to conduct further interrogations, but to
arrest persons whose role has come on record during the investigation.
Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik were killed in the bomb explosion. They
were carrying IEDs in the dickey under the seat of Eterno scooter
bearing No GA-05 A-7800 for carrying out subversive activities and to
sabotage the Narkasur effigy competition near the Margao Municipal
garden on the eve of Diwali festival.
