Maharashtra ATS arrests 3 for plotting terror attacks, seizes 20 crude bombs

The state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested three people including a Hindu Govansh Raksha Samiti member on Friday on the charge of conspiring to carry out a terror attack, and seized 20 crude bombs among other materials from one of them.

The police claimed the accused were planning to target sites in Mumbai city, Nalasopara, Pune, Satara and Solapur.

The arrested people have been identified as Vaibhav Raut, 40, Sharad Kalaskar, 25, (both picked up from Nalasopara), and Sudhanva Gondhalekar, 39, from Pune.

According to police sources, the Vikhroli unit of the ATS got a tip-off on Tuesday about the alleged conspiracy as well as the phone numbers of the suspects. The informant also told the police that the accused had a cache of weapons with them at Nalasopara.

"We searched Raut's shop and home in Nalasopara on Thursday night and found 12 and eight crude bombs from the premises respectively. Gelatin sticks and notes on how to make bombs were also recovered," said an ATS officer.

Raut's interrogation led the police to the other two.

An FIR against the trio was lodged by the Vikhroli ATS and the accused were formally arrested at 3.30 pm, and produced before the sessions court in Mumbai around 5.30 pm on Friday.

The accused have been remanded in police custody till August 18.

The public prosecutor, while seeking their police custody, told the court that the squad needed to ascertain the origin of the seized bombs, the purpose for which they were to be used, the target locations, how the accused received training and if they were associated with any gang or terrorist outfit.

The prosecutor also told the court that the ATS needed to find out the mastermind of the group and analyse the social media accounts of the arrested people.

But the trio told the court that they were assaulted by the ATS men after which the court told the Squad to get their medical examination done at a government hospital.

The defence lawyer Sanjeev Punalekar said, "The ATS did not have a search warrant. They illegally detained my clients. My clients will be tortured in custody. The accused have been booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), which is wrongly applied in the case."

State ATS chief Atul Chandra Kulkarni told the media, "The accused used layered SIM cards where each was purchased in a different name and subsequently layered via various channels to ensure that they could remain anonymous for a long time. Our team recovered explosives and other raw materials including detonators, resistors and a small packet of powder wrapped in a newspaper."

The seized material has been sent to Forensic Science Laboratory but cops suspect the powder is an explosive and the bombs were of medium intensity.

"The electrical material seized shows Raut he was trained to handle the materials," said an officer.

Accused’s Profile

Vaibhav Raut (40): Resident of Nalasopara and Estate Agent by profession.

Sharad Kalaskar (25): Resident of Nalasopara and engaged in service.

Sudhanav Gondhalekar (39): Resident of Satara and is self employed (graphic designer)