Margao blast: NIA files supplementary charge sheet against 2 accused
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, DEC 2
The National Investigating Agency (NIA) on Thursday filed a supplementary charge sheet against two accused persons, Prashant Juvekar and Prashant Ashtekar in the Margao bomb blast case.
The supplementary chargesheet was filed by NIA Deputy Superintendent of Police Ravi Gambhir in the South Goa Sessions court this evening.
The NIA has charged both Prashant Juvekar and Prashant Ashtekar under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, Explosives Substances Act, for waging a war against the State and for criminal conspiracy under the IPC.
The NIA has also charged Prashant Ashtekar under section 201 of the IPC for destruction of evidence. The duo is presently in judicial custody since their arrest around three months ago.
With today’s development, the NIA has filed chargesheet against six accused in the case. Three other accused persons Jai Prakash alias Ana, Rudra Patil and Sarang Kulkarni are still at large.
The NIA has charged the 11 accused persons, including the two deceased, Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik, for preparing the improvised explosive devices (IED) and conducting test blasts at Talaulim-Ponda, followed by another test blast at Jath Sangli in Maharashtra.
The investigating agency has charged deceased accused Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik, besides Vinay Talekar, Vinayak Patil, Dhananjay Ashtekar, Dilip Mangonkar, Jai Prakask allias Anna, Rudra Patil, Sarang Kulkarni and Prashanth Juvekar during the month of June 2009 to October 2009.
The NIA has pointed in the charge sheet that accused Malgonda Patil, Dhananjay Ashtekar and Jai Prakash brought explosive materials like gelatin sticks and detonators and other accessories like printed circuit boards, transistors, batteries, wires, etc for manufacturing the IEDs from difference sources. The IEDs were assembled at the residence of Laxmikant Naik, the elder brother of accused Yogesh at Talaulim-Ponda and also discussed about the actions to be taken against the government, organizers and participants and viewers of Narkasur competitions on grounds that such competitions are against Hindu religion and practices.
In pursuance of the conspiracy, the accused formed two groups, one comprising of deceased Malgonda Patil and deceased accused Yogesh Naik to plant the IEDs at the narkasur competition at Margao and the second group consisting of Vinay Talekar and Vinayak Patil for planting the IEDs in a mini-lorry at Shanthadurga Temple, Sancoale.
Meanwhile, the South Goa Sessions court on Thursday examined three witnesses in support of the prosecution case.
