Malegaon case: ATS questions Abhinav Bharat chief

The Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Sqaud investigating the Malegaon blasts case questioned Abhinav Bharat president Himani Savarkar for over three hours on Sunday.

Almost all those accused arrested in connection with Malegaon blast are affiliated to the organisation, sources said.

Savarkar, who has been head the outfit since April, was questioned at the ATS cell in Pune and was told that she could be summoned again if required.

Over ten accused including Lieutenant Colonel S P Purohit, Sadhwi Pragya Singh Thakur, ex-army man Ramesh Upadhyay and Swami Dayanand Pande were arrested in connection with the blast.

Sources in the ATS said since the investigations had shown that almost all accused in the Malegaon case were affiliated with the organisation, it was imperative that Savarkar be questioned.

Savarkar who has been in the forefront of a drive to collect money for the legal defence of those accused in the case, is the daughter of the Late Gopal Godse, brother of Nathuram Godse, and married to the nephew of Hindu Mahasabha founder V D Savarkar.

Sources close to the Abhinav Bharat chief said she was questioned regarding the ideological profile of her organisation and role of the accused members of the outfit in the Malegaon blasts.

Savarkar told her interrogators that the organisation was working for national integration and reforms in the British-oriented educational system in the country, sources said.

She also denied the involvement of any of the members, pointing out that the organisation did not believe in violence.