As Kalol witnesses face threats…

Senior IPS officer Neerja Gotru Rao then took charge of the investigations. But though police claim they have been providing adequate security, witnesses allege that some of the accused, who are at large or out on bail, are threatening them.

Haroon Rashid Abdul Sattar Mansoori, a key witness, alleges that on July 15, he was cornered near a petrol pump and threatened by Ajay Soni, Kiran Contractor and Mukhesh Parshottam. Soni was arrested a month and a half ago and is out on bail, while Contractor and Parshottam, have not yet been arrested.

Says Mansoori, ‘‘They stopped me on my bike and threatened me to retract from my statement in court. It’s not possible to move freely when you see them around.’’ He says he’s written to the Panchmahals district police chief and the inspector-general for the range. But no action has been taken.

Other witnesses told this reporter that many of the accused are affiliated to saffron organisations. They say the accused are seen in town almost daily.

Among the accused are members of the Bajrang Dal and office-bearers of the BJP, including Kalol BJP chief Yogesh Pandya.

IPS officer Gotru Rao says her investigation is foolproof, but legal procedure has to be followed when courts grant bail. She says she’s asked the Legal Department to file appeals against grant of bail. ‘‘We will arrest all of them shortly,’’ she says. ‘‘But it’s the responsibility of local police to deal with threats to witnesses.’’

But Panchmahals police chief Brijesh Kumar Jha doesn’t know about the threats. And Circle Inspector M.A. Pagi says he has no report of witnesses being threatened.

‘‘All important witnesses have been provided protection as demanded,’’ says Jha. ‘‘When we asked them if they want personal protection they said no. Now, even the CISF is providing them protection.’’

But Idris Yusuf Ghodawala, a witness, says: ‘‘The CISF men come only once or twice a week and take our signatures that we are fine… Rest of the days we live in fear.’’