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 said on Tuesday.

"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 told PTI.

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

He had been accused of conspiring with prime accused sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Lieutenant Colonel Shrikant Purohit to trigger the blast in the town in north Maharashtra.

After his arrest, Pandey denied any role in the case and alleged that the Anti-Terrorism Squad, which is probing the blast, fabricated evidence on his laptop to frame him.

Pandey had allegedly attended several meetings with other accused to plan the blast.

"We have recorded his confession before a Deputy Commissioner of Police which is admissible in the special MCOCA court," a source said.

Purohit had allegedly helped Pandey procure weapons and explosives. The police have claimed to have recovered a pen drive and laptop from Pandey that contain audio and video clippings of several meetings he had with other accused.

All the 10 accused are in judicial custody till January 6. One of them, Sameer Kulkarni, was handed over to the Madhya Pradesh police for probe in connection with the attack on a church.