The Hindu rightwing organisation Santan Sanstha may be part of larger conspiracy?

The Hindu, 1 November 2009

Sanatana Sanstha activists arrested in Verna IED case

Special Correspondent

The organisation’s role is suspected in Margao blast case

PANAJI: The on-going investigations in the Margao blast case took an interesting turn on Saturday following the arrest of two persons associated with Sanatana Sanstha for their alleged direct involvement in the Verna improvised explosive device (IED) case.

A Hindu rightwing organisation, the Sanatana Sanstha is presently under the police scanner for possible links with the Margao blast.

“Larger conspiracy”

Police did not rule out more arrests in the blast case in the near future. Superintendent of Police Atmaram Deshpande, Police PRO, said on Saturday that the Margao blast and Verna IED cases were “basically part of one larger conspiracy.” He said “the pace of investigations will now be stepped up.”

Mr. Deshpande told presspersons at the Goa Police headquarters that Vinay Talekar (30) hailing from Karwar and Vinayak Patil (27) of Belgaum, both residing in Ponda in Central Goa, were arrested in Margao past midnight on Friday. “Police, who have been interrogating the duo for quite some time, have established their involvement in the Verna case and their links are very clear with Margao case as well.”

While two members of the Sanatana — Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik — were killed in the Diwali-eve IED blast in Margao, two more IEDs were defused at the blast site and at Sancoale around 20 km away the same night. The Sancoale case was registered at Verna police station in south Goa.

Mr. Deshpande described Vinay Talekar as “a very close friend” of Malgonda Patil and Vinayak Patil as his associate. Both were closely associated with Sanatana Sanstha.

The two were arrested under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and The Explosive Substances Act. The arrests were conducted by members of the Special Investigation Team which was formed to probe the blast. The police moved a Judicial Magistrate’s court in Vasco in south Goa on Saturday evening for police custody of the two accused.

Mr. Deshpande said Patil was a driver by profession having driven vehicles of Sanatana Sanstha on some occasions.