Thane-Panvel blasts: Two let off as terror theory falls flat

The prosecution’s failure to prove that it was a terrorist act helped the acquittal of two convicts in the bomb blasts at Thane and Panvel in 2008, said the sessions court while removing the “terrorist” label from them.

On August 29, sessions judge NV Nhavkar convicted Ramesh Gadkari (50) and Vinay Bhave (26) under the Indian penal Code, Explosives Act, Explosive Substances Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act had acquitted them under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The judge said in his 138-page judgment: “It is nowhere in the case of prosecution that the accused by their acts intended to threaten or likely to threaten unity, integrity, security or sovereignty of India.”

The copy of the judgment was made available on Friday.
The court observed that the convicts’ aim was to protest against the producer of a Marathi play Aamhi Pachpute.

There are several discrepancies and inconsistencies in the investigation. The police allegedly seized 19 gelatins and 27 detonators as per the seizure panchanama.

The receipts shows 20 gelatin sticks and 20 detonators were purchased. “All this inconsistencies relates to unfairness in the investigation,” said the court.

Although the prosecution has proved that Gadkari and Bhave were present at the blast sites at Thane, there is no evidence to show that they planted the bombs. The prosecution proved that test blasts were carried out by Bhave and Gadkari. “Prosecution tried to establish its case on the basis of the evidence of the witnesses having last seen the accused persons at the three sites of incidents,” added the court.

The sessions court acquitted Mangesh Nikam, Santosh Angre, Haribhau Divekar and Hemant Chalke for lack of evidence and prosecution’s failure to prove the charges.