New Delhi: Ramchandra Kalsangre and Sandeep Dange, the absconding accused in the Malegaon 2008 blast case, have been described as members of banned terror group Babbar Khalsa International by the NIA or National Investigation Agency.
NIA’s official website shows the organisation of the two as ‘Babbar Khalsa International’.
While 41-year-old Kalsangre is a resident of Shajapur district, 46-year-old Dange resides in Indore district of Madhya Pradesh.
The NIA has already taken a U-turn in the case by giving clean chit to Sadhvi Pragya Singh and five others and diluting the charges against others by dropping stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
Kalsangre and Dange have disappeared after the Malegaon blast and NIA had announced a cash reward of Rs. 10 lakh on information leading to their arrest. They are also wanted in other cases including Samjhauta train blast case and Ajmer bomb blast case.
An Interpol Red Corner Notice has been issued against these two but neither in the CBI website nor in the Interpol website is their affiliation mentioned.
CBI says that the two are wanted for “crimes involving the use of weapons and explosives and terrorism”, the Interpol website show that the duo is wanted for “criminal conspiracy, murder, usage of explosive substance and commission of unlawful activities”.
BKI is a banned organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). It was set up in 1978 and later with the help of Pakistan’s ISI, it indulged in various terror activities in Punjab. However, the group saw a decline after many of its cadres were either arrested or killed in police encounters in late 1980’s and early 90’s.
PTI