Missing Malegaon witness had told ATS of Sadhvi,Kalsangra roles

Both Patidar and Bairagi later retracted their statements and filed a petition against the ATS in an Indore court.

Recently,the case took another turn when the CBI sought sanction to charge Mumbai ATS officers in connection with the Patidar’s disappearance. The CBI,which investigated the blast on the directions of the Indore High Court,submitted a report this month that it believed Patidar had been killed,though it had not been able to trace his corpse.

Bairagi and Patidar’s statements are part of the chargesheet filed by the ATS in 2009. Excerpts from the statements,available with The Indian Express:

DILIP PATIDAR:

“…I am staying at Rajeev Awas Vihar along with my family and used to repair fridges and ACs. In 1998,I came to Indore to learn work from Ramji. When I started earning,I shifted and started living on rent and began my own work. In 2003,I got married. I have a car and a scooter… During the demolition of the Babri Masjid,Ramji suffered a fracture in his leg… and got married in hospital. He also used to organise programmes for the Sangh and travel out of Indore…”

“…In 2007,I had gone to meet Ramji at his house when I met a sadhvi. Ramji introduced me to her [as Pragya Didi. I conveyed my regards to her… Ramji was in possession of a light golden Freedom motorcycle,GJ 05 1920 [this was reportedly used in the blast. Ramji told me this motorcycle was given to him by Pragya Didi… In 2008,during Dussehra,I went to Ramji’s place along with my family. I also saw Ramji’s relatives and friends but his motorcycle was not there…

“…On October 12,2008,Ramji asked me to pick him up from Hukumchand Ghantaghar. He asked me to drive towards Nandanagar. On reaching Nandanagar,Ramji went inside a lane and came out after half an hour with Sandeep Dange. Both sat in the car and told me they would be taking my car and asked me to collect the car from Dewas. They told me they would drop me at the railway station [where I purchased petrol… Ramji then asked me to drop him near Vijay Nagar bus stand,since Mumbai police were looking for them. During this time,Ramji also took my mobile and called someone… I heard him saying,‘Has Didi come and is Sir there?’ After dropping Ramji at Vijay Nagar,I never saw him.”

DHARMENDRA BAIRAGI:

“In 2004,during one of the programmes organised at Ujjain,my five brothers and I were introduced to Pragya Didi by one of the representatives from my village,Mahesh Chouhan… She also gave me her card,on which the aim of her organisation (Jai Vande Mataram) was stated…

“… On October 7,2008,Ramji came to my house and asked me to call up Mataji from my mobile… He got it [the mobile recharged for Rs 55. He also wrote five mobile numbers on a paper and asked me to go to Ujjain and [connect him with Didi [Pragya on those numbers… On October 8,I went to Ujjain in my car and reached the Ujjain railway station. Ramji called me and asked me about the train in which Didi was coming. I told him the train was late. Once the train arrived,I went inside and gave the phone to Didi after [dialling a mobile number given by Ramji…”

According to Bairagi,he overheard their conversation and that Pragya told Kalsranga she was going to Surat. By then it had been found that her motorcycle had been used in the blast and the Mumbai police were looking for her. Bairagi’s statement cites Pragya as saying she would claim to have sold the motorcycle. Kalsranga reportedly suggested she give his name to the cops if pressed. Pragya asked why there were so few casualties in the blast,to which Kalsranga reportedly said he had not been able to park the motorcycle in a crowded area.