Explosives seizure: cops probing if accused used code language

Maharashtra police are probing whether the three men arrested in a case related to seizure of explosives and firearms last week used codewords including pseudonyms while allegedly hatching a plot to carry out blasts.

Sudhanwa Gondhalekar, who was the leader of the group, used the name 'Pande-ji' when communicating with others, an Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) official has said.

The ATS has formed several teams to probe the case, including the communication among the accused, he said.

"During the investigation so far, we found that Gondhalekar was the main person among the three accused, and they used to call him 'Pande-ji'," the official said.

"We are investigating whether other two also went by some pseudonyms and communicated in code language. Cyber experts will investigate online activities including social media accounts of the arrested men," he said.

Gondhalekar, according to the ATS, runs a "graphic designs shop" in Pune's Parvati area.

Police had seized a laptop, six hard disks and nine mobile phones from Pune during the raids. ATS sleuths will analyse these gadgets, the official said.

On August 10, ATS arrested Vaibhav Raut (40), who ran 'Hindu Govansh Raksha Samiti', a little-known pro-cow protection outfit, in Nallasopara near Mumbai. It was followed by arrests of Sharad Kalaskar (25) in Palghar district and Gondhalekar (39) from Pune.

It also claimed to have seized a huge quantity of explosives and firearms during raids at Nallasopara, Pune and elsewhere in the state.

Alleging that the trio were planning to carry out blasts in the state ahead of Independence day and Bakri-Eid festival, the ATS had also said it would probe if they had any connection with the killings of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare and journalist Gauri Lankesh.

The trio have been booked under terror-related provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).