‘We didn’t say Sanatan was linked to blast’

The Goa police on Wednesday did an about turn on its claim that Sanatan Sanstha was involved in Margao blasts, saying they have not named any organisation.

“We have not named any organisation as yet,” superintendent of police Atmaram Deshpande, who is the official PRO for Goa Police, said at a press conference. According to Deshpande, police have only maintained that Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik, who are suspected to be involved in the crime, had links with Sanatan.

“Nowhere have we said that Sanatan Sanstha is involved in the blasts. We have only said that the persons whom Goa Police suspects of carrying out the blasts had links with the organisation,” Deshpande said.

When reminded about state home minister Ravi Naik’s statement that Sanatan is responsible for the attack, the SP said, “I have no knowledge of that and cannot
comment on his (minister’s) statement.”

Naik said that the police are investigating the role of Jyoti Dhavalkar, the wife of transport minister Sudin Dhavalikar, in the organisation.

On whether the police had sent any recommendation for banning Sanatan, he said, “We have not asked for ban on Sanatan as of now, and will not do so until investigations are over. The police will send the report to the government which will take the call.” Despande also said that accused Yogesh Naik died on Tuesday morning.

Arvind Pansare, an official of Sanatan Sanstha, denied that Naik was involved in the organisation. “Yogesh Naik supplied milk to the ashram. This is his only connection with us,” he said.