Jaipur, November 05: Rajasthan’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Thursday arrested an anti-cow slaughter activist from Godhra in Gujarat in connection with the October 2007 Ajmer dargah blasts.
The ATS say Mukesh Vasani (42), reportedly associated with the VHP, planted one of the bombs used in the blasts and was recruited just two months before the attack by Sunil Joshi, an alleged key conspirator in Malegaon, Mecca Masjid and Ajmer blasts who was killed on December 29, 2007. Vasani’s is the fifth arrest in the Ajmer blasts case since April this year.
On November 1, the Rajasthan ATS had arrested one Harshad Solanki, also a key accused in the infamous Best Bakery case who had been on the run for years.
Police believe with these two arrests, they would get vital clues into the murder of Joshi. It was Joshi who had recruited Vasani and Solanki to carry out the Ajmer blasts, ATS arrests second man from Gujarat for Ajmer blasts the Rajasthan ATS said.
ATS DIG Anand Srivastava said Vasani, after being produced in an Ajmer court, was remanded to police custody till November 9. “We believe he was one of those who planted bombs at the Ajmer dargah, but this is all a matter of investigation,” Srivastava said.
According to senior ATS officials, Vasani was brought in for questioning around 3 pm on Wednesday and then taken to Ajmer a day later to be arrested. A senior ATS official said, “It was while questioning Solanki that we zeroed in on Vasani.”
Meanwhile, the Panchmahals police said Vasani has just one case registered against him — that of a car theft in 2004— which was lodged at Godhra Town Police Station. Sources in Godhra said Vasani would threaten local cattle owners saying they were involved in cow slaughter.
Dr S J Pandya, a local VHP leader, refused to comment when asked for reaction. Vasani was seen in the peace committee meetings often complaining about cattle transportation in Godhra that led to communal strife in the town, said a source. However, Godhra Deputy SP A K Joshi said besides the car theft, there was no other case pending against Vasani. Vasani’s father and elder brother are government officials while he is married with two sons staying in Kalal Darwaaza area of Godhra, sources said.
—Agencies