Purohit organised training camp under guise of Art of Living event: NIA

Key accused in Malegaon 2008 blast Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit had organised a training camp under the guise of an 'Art of Living' event, the charge sheet filed by the NIA said.

The NIA has recorded the statement of the owner of a hotel in Panchmarhi in this regard.

The owner, who was a prosecution witness, said in September 2005, Purohit met him in the hotel and asked him to arrange a camp for 40-50 people related to 'Art of Living' at Panchmarhi.

An advance of Rs 25,000 was deposited in the account by accused Ajay Rahirkar, according to the witness.

The witness said the camp was arranged for them and 6-7 tents were erected for their accommodation.

"It is a fact that Purohit had requested me for arranging the air rifles and I had told him that there are no such arrangements at the camp although I made arrangement for TV and DVD", the witness told NIA.

The witness also said he saw lathi training being given to the participants. "I could feel that the camp was not related to 'Art of Living' but it was something else," he said.

"Purohit organised it very secretly and no one other than participants were allowed to go inside," the witness said.

He said the total expenditure of the camp was Rs 79,150.

The witness has also identified two persons who had attended the camp as Amit and Maruti Wagh.