11 of Hindu outfit charged for Goa blast

The National Investigation Agency on Monday filed a chargesheet against 11 members of a Hindu outfit, Sanathan Sanstha, over a blast at Margao, Goa, on October 16 last year in which two persons were killed.

Those chargesheeted include Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik, who were killed when the bomb went off accidentally at Margao, 35 km from Panaji, before it could be planted.

The Diwali-eve blast took place on a busy thoroughfare close to a place where the Chief Minister, Mr Digamber Kamat, was present.

The accused face charges of conspiring and collecting arms for waging a war against the state and causing mischief. They have also been charged under the Explosive Substance Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The chargesheet, running into about 3,000 pages, was filed before the sessions judge U.V. Bakre.

The chargesheet named Vinay Talekar, Vinayak Patil, Dhananjay Ashtekar and Dilip Mangaonkar, all of whom are in jail, besides the two who were killed when explosives went off on a scooter.

The absconding accused are Prashant Juvekar, Sarang Akolkar, Jaya-prakash, Rudra Patil and Prashant Ashtekar.