Hindu terror network is now widespread

KPS Raghuvanshi was the ATS chief during the Nanded blasts of 2006 and had filed a chargesheet naming organisations like the VHP, RSS and Bajrang Dal. He discusses the new face of terror with RANA AYYUB, calling it a serious threat that needs to be firmly dealt with. The leads that have come in after the interrogation of the accused in the Malegaon blasts are similar to what came out of the investigations into the 2006 Nanded blasts. Yes, in most of the aspects, mainly the same outfits are involved. From the investigation into the Nanded blasts, we had got leads into the involvement of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal as being behind the blasts that happened in Nanded, Parbhani and Purna. The ATS chargesheet had at that point of time spoken of training camps organised at Pune for making pipe bombs and they were taught by Mithun Chakraborty, a trainer. Was Mithun Chakraborty an army man? That's not clear. Do you detect a common modus operandi in both the Malegaon blasts and the Nanded blasts? Is there a pattern since both blasts were conducted outside mosques? Not much can be said about the modus operandi, although we have seen that bikes have been a favourite with these terrorists and were used in the blasts at Parbhani, Purna and also now in the Malegaon blasts. Unlike the last time though, these people have used RDX. They are using much more sophisticated weapons and techniques than what they used the last time. But yes, the pattern has been the same, and so has been the target, the Muslims. The narco reports as well as the ATS chargesheet, which was based on these tests, spoke of the involvement of top leaders from the VHP and the Bajrang Dal but no action was taken against them. Do you think the Malegaon blasts could have been averted? I don't know if the Malegaon blasts would have been averted, other people could also have done it. The terror network is widespread and those involved in the Malegaon blasts are different people. But the ATS had clearly named people from the Hindu organisations in its chargesheet. It was up to the CBI, which had taken over the case, to handle it. Would you then say that the CBI displayed a lack of will in nailing the terror groups? I don't think I can say that, but we had done our job, and it was left to other agencies to take action. But the ATS had also withdrawn cases against 11 of the accused and withdrew its cases against most of them, including Laxman Rajkondwar, who was a key person and had given his house for the preparation of bombs? We had not found adequate evidence against them and could not nail a person just because his house was used in a terror operation. You had also clearly mentioned the involvement of right-wing outfits like the RSS in the Nanded blasts. Would you say right-wing terror took birth in 2006? No, it wasn't their first attempt at terror. The Parbhani and Purna blasts had happened earlier. We can't say that the Nanded blasts were the first attempt. Long planning seems to have gone into it. You can't rule out the possibility of their involvement in other blasts that have happened in the country. The names of various saffron outfits like the Hindu Raksha Samiti, Hindu Jagran Manch, and Sanatan Sanstha have been coming out in various cases of terror. Does this mean the emergence of ultra right-wing terror? There certainly is a threat from Hindu terrorist organisations and it has been proved that 'saffron' terror is emerging and in a big way. We may not be in a position to nail them, but these organisations are developing a terror module which needs to be checked. The role of ex-army men and the Bhonsla Military School also came up in the 2006 investigations. Does the involvement of army men in the blasts not point to a serious trend? There was mention of an army officer by the accused as being their trainer, but we could not get any lead on it. But yes, it certainly is a serious trend. Finally, with so much evidence against the Bajrang Dal and the VHP, would it be right to call them terror outfits? I am not at liberty to say that but yes, they are involved in terror acts that are extremely serious and need to be dealt with through commitment and will.

From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 5, Issue 45, Dated Nov 15, 2008