Attack on Silway: Kulkarni in one-day police custody

Another Malegaon blast suspect Sameer Kulkarni, who is allegedly involved in the attack on Pastor Peter David Silway of Vineyard Church in Dapodi in the last year, was produced before at the Khadki cantonment court for seeking his police custody. Police also suspect his role in the recent attack on Christians in Orrissa.

The Khadki police produced him at the court at 11.45 am. Public prosecutor B L Kadam sought police custody of seven days for Kulkarni. 8220;Custodial interrogation of Kulkarni was required for nabbing two more accomplices in this case. The weapon and two-wheeler used during the attack is to be recovered,8221; he said. The Khadki police officials said that investigations would be done to find out if he was involved in the recent attacks on Christians in Orrissa. Khadki police claimed that after the attack on Pastor Silway in June 2007, Kulkarni fled from Pune and went to Nashik and then to Madhya Pradesh. Silway has said in his complaint that three unknown persons approached him for offering flowers, but they assaulted him with stumps and sticks.

Police said that sketch of the assailants were prepared from the description given by Pastor Silway, and one of it matched with Kulkarni. Police said that Kulkarni was also present at the peace committee meeting at Bhosari, where he had complaint about loudspeakers at the Vineyard church.

Defence lawyer Sunil Zape and Suresh Gawli however said that Kulkarni was falsely implicated in this case. Lawyers said that Pastor himself was booked in several cases in the past.

Judicial magistrate first class Ranuka Satav remanded Kulkarni to police custody for one day.

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena, BJP and Hindu outfit members had gathered in huge numbers at the court premises. Raising slogans in support of Kulkarni, they showered flowers on the police vehicles carrying him.