Madani behind Bangalore stadium blast: VS Acharya

Mangalore Today

Bangalore, August 24, 2010: People’s Democratic Party Chairman Abdul Naseer Madani’s interrogation has revealed that he was involved in the twin blasts outside the Chinnaswamy cricket stadium in Bangalore ahead of an Indian Premier League match in April this year, claimed Karnataka Home Minister VS Acharya.

"We are likely to ask for extension Madani’s custody. There is an indirect involvement in blast outside Chinnaswamy stadium blast. A clearer picture will emerge in a couple of days. More arrests are likely and inquiry may reveal more names," Acharya told CNN-IBN on Tuesday.  Fifteen people were injured in two low-intensity blasts near the cricket stadium before the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians IPL match on April 17, 2010.

Madani was arrested on August 17 at Kollam in Kerala in connection with the 2008 Bangalore blast case. He has been listed as the 31st accused in an additional chargesheet filed by the police in July after confessions by suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba operative T Nazir linked him (Madani) to the Bangalore blasts that left one person dead and 20 others injured.

Madani was in touch with 2 politicians from Karnataka
Top police sources told this newspaper on Monday that Abdul Nasser Madani made several calls to two leading politicians from Karnataka. The calls were made in the weeks leading up to the July 25, 2008, blasts and thereafter. Some calls were made recently, police sources told this newspaper, adding that both men belonged to the same political party, and that despite repeated attempts to reach the duo — one, a former chief minister, the other, a former transport minister — their mobile telephone numbers were switched off, or they would “cut the calls.” The former CM has five listed cellphone numbers.


Bangalore police have sufficient evidence
Bangalore police also claim that they have sufficient evidence to nail Abdul Naser Madani in the July 25, 2008 blasts in Bangalore. “The identification parade conducted by the police team at Kodagu plantations at Hosathota in Somwarpet taluk, Kodagu district, on Saturday, gave us some leads. One witness was able to identify Madani,” said a police officer. Plantation workers in the area had earlier provided accounts of the presence of prime accused in the blasts, Tadiyandavide Nasir, in the area.

Kodagu Growers’ Federation, an association of plantation owners, revealed that Tadiyandavide Nasir had taken over an estate on lease for ginger cultivation. He suddenly hiked the wages of farm hands from Rs130 per day, which was the prevailing rate at that time, to Rs250 per day. Other plantation owners were thrown into panic as it made getting farm hands so much harder for them.

Ponnappa, a member of the plantation owners’ federation said that the deputy commissioner of the district and the superintendent of police of Kodagu did not respond at the time even though the federation had sent a petition to them. “Had these officials responded to our pleas in time, the terror plans might have been nipped in the bud,” said Sagar, a member of the plantation owners’ federation. Police and revenue officials promised to look into the matter, but took no action, say federation members.

Shahjahan, Madani’s gunman who was offering the PDP leader security cover since he fell under the B-category for security risk, has been evading city police. “We issued a summons to him under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (Amendment) of 2008 nearly one-and-a-half months ago, but have not yet received any response. If he does not turn up, we have to arrest him and send him to jail. We are sure that he knew of Madani’s visit to Kodagu, and we’re certain that he was there as terror acts were being planned.”Shahjahan had proceeded on leave after receiving summons to appear before the investigating officer in the Bangalore serial blasts. He claimed to have fallen sick.