CBI grilled top RSS functionary Indresh Kumar on Thursday in connection with Hyderabad’s 2007 Mecca Masjid blast, which killed nine people and injured 70.
The investigating agency summoned Kumar as his name figured in the case registered by CBI. He, however, has not been named an accused.
Kumar’s interrogation assumes significance in view of recent WikiLeaks revelations, which said Rahul Gandhi had told US ambassador Timothy Roemer that the growth of radicalised Hindu groups, which create religious tensions in India, could pose a bigger threat to the country than activities of groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Indresh reached CBI headquarters at around 1:30pm alongwith about hundreds of supporters. While entering CBI office, he said, “I am sure I will be proved innocent,” he said.
However, after almost six hours of grilling, he told reporters that CBI only asked about his family life. “CBI only asked about my background and RSS work culture.’’ His advocate Meenakshi Lekhi denied that there was any question about Mecca blast. “They did not ask anything specific about Mecca Masjid blast.’’
Indresh Kumar, 62, who was based in Rajasthan from 2001 to 2004, has also been involved with the work of the Rashtriya Muslim Manch, an RSS affiliate that calls itself a nationalist organisation of Muslims.
“Congress has hatched a political conspiracy to defame RSS. I am not aware why they have called me. As a law abiding citizen, I have come here to answer whatever question they have,” Indresh Kumar said before he went to meet the CBI team.
Mohd Afzal, national convenor of Muslim Manch, accompanied Kumar to CBI headquarters. “CBI is doing this to divide Hindus and Muslims of the country. RSS has never done such criminal and anti-national act,” Afzal said.
Kumar’s name came up during CBI’s interrogation of Swami Aseemanand, an accused, who was arrested on November 19 from a hideout in Hardwar.
CBI officials are in search of the missing links in the Mecca Masjid, Ajmer and Malegaon blasts’ case. Aseemanand’s role as a key figure in the network of Hindu extremists, including Abhinav Bharat, was first revealed when Lt Col Purohit, who was arrested in Malegaon blast case, was interrogated.
