Navhind Times, 18 June 2008 Sanatan Sanstha under Goa police scanner
By GLENN COSTA NT NETWORK PANAJI: The Goa police on Tuesday decided to inquire into the activities of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti and Sanatan Sanstha after the arrests of some persons on the suspicion of planting explosives in Mumbai recently. The Maharashtra police's anti-terrorism squad had arrested two persons, Ramesh Gadkari (50) and Mangesh Nikam (34) on June 16 and two more persons were arrested on Tuesday. They were arrested on the suspicion that they were involved in the June 4 blast at Thane Gadkari Rangayatan before the satirical play 'Amhi Pachpute.' The blast had injured seven persons. The ATS also alleged that the same group was involved in planting of explosives at a theatre in Vashi on May 31, where the same play was staged and the blast in a Panvel theatre screening the film 'Jodhaa Akbar' on February 20. The ATS maintained that the two arrested persons are active members of Hindu fundamentalist organisations, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti and its offshoot, Sanatan Sanstha. Reports say that Vikram Bhave (26), and Santosh Angre (26), both active workers of the Sanatan Sanstha, were arrested on Tuesday and showed as accused in the Panvel blast case. Allegedly the bombs used at Vashi and Panvel were assembled at Bhave's home at the Pen town situated near Panvel, while Angre, from Lanja in Ratnagiri district was arrested as he knew of the entire plot. The Chief Secretary, Mr J P Singh has said the state police have already begun enquiring into the case and appropriate action would be initiated as per the law if anything incriminating was found. The inspector-general police, Mr Kishen Kumar told 'The Navhind Times' that he would look into the matter and that he had ordered an inquiry into it. Highly placed police sources say the special branch has been asked to look into this matter and that a letter had been sent to the superintendent of police, (special branch), Mr Atmaram Deshpande asking him to contact the ATS, Mumbai and get the details of the arrested persons as well as inquire into their links, if any, in the state. Sources said that they have also been asked to collect information about the activities of the organisation's members in Goa. Strongly condemning the blasts, the Sanatan Sanstha on Tuesday said, 'Those involved in these blasts and may be, associated directly and indirectly with Sanatan Sanstha, have committed a wrongful and condemnable act.' A press note released by Mr Abhijit Nadkarni of the Sanatan Sanstha, from Sanatan Ashram, Ramnathi said the police are inquiring into the blasts and have arrested a few people in this regard and interrogated them, and a few have been detained, further adding, 'Some of them are the residents of the Sanatan Ashram in Panvel.' 'The Sanatan Ashram in Panvel primarily houses the administrative activities of Sanatan Sanstha and the Ashram has extended its wholesome co-operation to police in this regard,' the press note observed. Mr Nadkarni, told 'The Navhind Times' that there was no police inquiry or interrogation of those linked to Sanatan Ashram in Goa. The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti was formed in October 2002, and is a self-proclaimed protector of Hindu values, while the Sanatan Sanstha was founded in 1990 to guide people on the scientific path to spirituality. -- Question everything -- Karl Marx
