Religious leader Pandey admits involvement in Malegaon blast

Religious leader Dayanand Pandey, arrested in connection with the Malegaon blast, has confessed to his involvement in the September 29 explosion that killed six persons, a senior police official on Tuesday said.

“Pandey has confessed to his involvement in the Malegaon blast. We have taken all precautions to ensure that his confession is admissible in the court,” Additional Commissioner of Police (Anti-Terrorism Squad) Parambir Singh said.

Pandey, arrested from Kanpur on November 12, was booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) along with 10 other arrested accused.

He had been accused of conspiring with prime accused sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit to trigger the blast in the powerloom town in north Maharashtra.