Kashmir Times, 15 November 2008
Sinha hosted detained 'Godman' in Raj Bhawan
Shabir Ibn Yusuf
SRINAGAR, Nov 14: According to a starling revelation, the Malegaon blast mastermind Daynand Pandey was hosted by the former controversial Jammu and Kashmir governor Lt General (Rtd) S K Sinha in Raj Bhawan and that the two had held a meeting in a famous temple in Kashmir. Pandey has been shown in photographs with National Conference president Omar Abdullah also.
The revelation surfaced after a senior police officer of Jammu and Kashmir police held an under cover investigation in connection with Pandey and his Kashmir visits. "It seems he had been special guest of Sinha," the police officer said adding he had dinner with Sinha Sahib many times in Raj Bhawan situated in Zabarwan hills.
The police officer vindicated the statement of Zeshta Devi Mandir Prabandhak committee general secretary that Pandey had come to Mandir under high security cover, "Once he has come from Martrand temple Anantnag to meet Sinha at dinner in police and para-military escort in 2007," the police said. He said, ?yet he is not able to get the actual number of times of meetings between S K Sinha and Pandey.
However, the senior superintendent of Police Anantnag Nitish Kumar expressed ignorance and said, "During my tenure Sinha has not visited the temple." He said that Pandey might have visited but police does not know about it. "He was not VIP or VVIP for we people and we do not know," SSP said.
The investigating police officer said, Pandey has also held a meeting with Sinha at Kheer Bhawani Asthpan Tulmul Ganderbal. "In my tenure of these some months Sinha Sahib did not visit the temple," said District Magistrate Ganderbal Abdul Majid Khanday. Police officer said that Pandey was usually visiting High Altitude Warfare School of army in Gulmarg and meeting the army officers. "We are trying to ascertain which army officers he used to meet," the police officer said.
Interestingly some national news channels Thursday evening displayed the photographs of Pandey with National conference president Omar Abdullah. Despite repeated calls Omar did not attend the phone.
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