Hyderabad, October 30: The Centre is contemplating handing over the Mecca Masjid blast case, currently being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Sources told Express that the NIA might take over the case from the CBI as it was authorised to probe bomb blast cases across the country. “It is still being contemplated and handing over the case to NIA may depend on the developments in the investigation of the case in the coming days,” sources said.
A full- fledged NIA office has been set up at Cyberabad drawing several officers from various parts of the country.
It is also learnt that NIA will also take over investigation in the bomb blast that took place at the Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat in 2007. “Al ready, NIA had taken over investigations of several bomb blast cases that took place across the country and it is a matter of time before they will take over the Mecca masjid blast case,” an official said.
CBI officials have till now succeeded in nabbing two persons – Devender Gupta and Lokesh Sharma – for their alleged role in the bomb blast. They were also involved in the Ajmer bomb blast in Rajasthan. Two other prime accused – Sandeep Dange and Ram Chandra Kalsangra alias Ramji – of Madhya Pradesh are still absconding.
On September 14, the officer investigating the Mecca masjid bomb blast case, T Rajah Balaji, sought 90 days time from a local magistrate court to file the chargesheet which was to be filed by September 17.
The court had granted him the time a few days ago. Devender Gupta and Lokesh Sharma are in judicial remand in Chanchalguda jail.
Senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar, who was named by the CBI in the Ajmer blast chargesheet, might also be questioned in the Mecca masjid case.
–Agencies