0
NEW DELHI: In a major breakthrough into the 2007 Samjhauta Express blast probe, India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested one person apparently linked to Hindu extremists, news reports said on Monday.
They identified the man as Kamal Chauhan, who was picked up from Indore on Saturday. He was flown to Delhi on Sunday from where he was likely to be taken to Panchkula where the agency will seek his remand from the NIA court.The blast had left nearly 70 dead and 100 injured — most of them Pakistanis.
According to the NIA, Mr Chauhan, a resident of Moorkheda village near Indore, is alleged to be one of the conspirators in the case. Indian Express said he was suspected to be one of the persons who planted briefcases loaded with explosives on Feb 18, 2007.
“We will question him regarding his association with Sunil Joshi,” said a top NIA official.
Mr Joshi had allegedly procured the two suitcases used in the twin blast from a shop in Indore.During its investigations and especially after the arrest of Swami Aseemanand, the NIA had claimed that the blast was the handiwork of saffron terror outfits.
The other key suspects — Sandeep Dange, Ramchandra Kalsangra and Ashok alias Ashwini Chauhan — are still on the run on whom the NIA has announced rewards ranging from Rs200,000 to one million.
Mr Chauhan's name does not figure among those declared proclaimed offenders by the NIA.
Officials said his custodial interrogation would provide vital leads, particularly about the three missing accused persons and the sources of explosives.
The news of the arrest came as Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma began a major visit to Pakistan. The Samjhauta case had been put on the backburner as there had been no significant movement. None of the accused could be arrested, and the NIA suffered a setback after Swami Aseemanand retracted his statements.—J.N.
