No link with accused arrested by CBI, ATS: Sanatan Sanstha

Mumbai: Distancing itself yet again from terror plot accused, the right-wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha has denied any connection with the persons arrested in the arms and explosives seizures across the state from August 9-11. Sanstha spokesperson Chetan Rajhans said none of the accused arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation or the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad are the outfit’s members. Further, the Sanstha appealed to the masses, saying its mission is to propagate spirituality in a constitutional manner, not violence.

In 2008, two members of the Sanatan Sanstha, Mangesh Nikam and Ramesh Gadkari, had been arrested by the ATS for their alleged role in planting bombs in the parking lots of theatres in Thane and Vashi, injuring seven persons. The Sanstha had then too refuted all allegations of connection with the two arrested accused. Clearing the air on its alleged association with those arrested in the explosives haul and killing of rationalists, Rajhans said there are over 320 Hindu outfits across the country, so how could someone say they all belong to the Sanatan Sanstha? He added, “Some progressives, organisations and political leaders are spreading propaganda that all those arrested are members of the Sanatan Sanstha.

In this regard, the Sanstha has clarified its role from time to time; we wish to reiterate that none of these individuals is a member of Sanatan Sanstha. Our Sanstha is being targeted without reason. The charges against us are baseless and mindless. None of the nine arrested accused is affiliated with our organisation. We have not even heard the names of Sharad Kalaskar, Sachin Andure, Rohit Rege and, Ajinkya and Shubham Sarule before this.”

However, when asked about Vaibhav Raut’s association with the right-wing outfit, there was no comment from the latter. Raut’s social media accounts have pictures and videos of him promoting and addressing programmes organised by the Sanatan Sanstha, which backfired on them soon after Raut’s arrest on August 10.

Rajhans claimed all the allegations hurled at Sanatan Sanstha are based on information sought unofficially from the ATS and the CBI, and that the ATS had not named any particular organisation. He also said neither a single allegation about the organisation’s links to the killings of rationalists has been proven, nor is there any mention of them in the chargesheet filed in the case.