A resident of Ghatkopar was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Friday night for alleged links in an arms seizure case in which members of a Hindu Right wing group are suspected to be involved in a terror conspiracy.

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Avinash Pawar has been a fitter at Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) for 10 years. MDL officials refused to comment on the matter. Neighbours say the 30-year-old is very religious and not likely to be involved in a criminal activity.

Pawar, who lives in Barve Nagar, Bhatwadi with his mother, is the fifth person to be arrested in the case. ATS seized a CPU from his home and his mobile phone.

Pawar was taken to ATS's Vikhroli Unit, where he was grilled about his links to Vaibhav Raut, Sharad Kalaskar, Sudhanva Gondhalekar and Shrikant Pangarkar who were arrested earlier. According to police, Pawar's name cropped up when the aforementioned were interrogated.

On August 10, ATS sleuths arrested Nalasopara residents Raut, Kalaskar and Satara native Gondhalekar in a terror conspiracy case. During investigation, Kalaskar's confessed to shooting rationalist Narendra Dabholkar in August 2013.ATS is also probing whether the accused have links to rationalist Govind Pansare, MM Kalburgi and journalist Gauri Lankesh's murders.

"Probe revealed that Pawar was in constant touch with those arrested and we suspect he was aware of the terror activity the group was planning in Maharashtra," said an ATS officer. "We have arrested him under Sections 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act, read with Section 9(B) of the Explosives Act, Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 16 (punishment for terrorist act), 18 (conspiracy for terrorist act) and 20 (being a member of terrorist gang) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)."

"We know Avinash as a very religious person," said a neighbour, "He had done puja on new year's day. We refuse to believe he is involved in any criminal activity. He was too busy with life and work. Just because someone's number was found in someone's phone, does it mean he is an accused? Is it wrong to participate in religious activities?"

Pawar was produced before a local court on Saturday which remanded him to police custody till August 31.

About Avinash

Avinash Pawar has been a fitter at Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) for 10 years. He lives in Barve Nagar with his mother.