Samjhauta accused remanded in custody

On February 18,2007,a day ahead of Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri’s three-day official visit,just before the midnight,two bombs had exploded in New Delhi-Wagah Samjahuta Express killing 67 people,mostly Paksitanis,and injuring 50.

Sharma was arrested on June 17,2010,and was also an accused in the Ajmer Sheriff blast case,which took place on October 11,2007.

Sharma was also chargesheeted by NIA for Mecca Masjid blast in Hyderabad,which took place on May 18,2007,during Friday prayers. His role was that he allegedly purchased two Nokia mobile phones and also took training in bomb making.

Sharma’s lawyer Manbir Singh Rathi complained during the hearing that his client was brought in handcuffs without the court’s permission. The judge also objected to it.

NIA further informed the court that it wanted to submit chargesheet in the Samjhauta blasts case on June 20.

The court also allowed NIA to produce the other accused Swami Aseemanand through video conferencing on Monday.

The court is also likely to declare Ramchander Kalsangre,Sandeep Dange and Ashwini Chauhan as proclaimed offenders on Monday.

Earlier,non-bailable warrants had been issued against them by the court.

NIA has announced a cash award of Rs 10 lakh each on Kalsangre and Dange and Rs 2 lakh on Chauhan for providing information leading to their arrests.

Sources in NIA said Lokesh Sharma was a close associate of Sunil Joshi,Ramchander Kalsangre and Sandeep Dange.

NIA also alleged that Sharma was also part of the meeting held at Bharat Bhai’s house,where Aseemanand,Sadhvi Pragya,Joshi,Dange,Ashwini Chauhan and Kalsangre were present,and hatched a conspiracy for bombings.

Joshi was allegedly murdered in December 2007.

Aseemanand had also retracted from his confessional statements and through his counsel charged NIA of pressurising him into making the statement.