Arrested armymen played major role in Malegaon blast

Even as Mumbai police levelled charges of murder against the two retired army officers Ramesh Shivji Upadhyay and Sameer Kulkarni who were arrested on Tuesday, Additional Commissioner of Police Sukhvinder Singh told reporters that the duo were "a part of the larger conspiracy" and played a "major role" in the Malegaon blast on September 29 that killed six persons.

Blasts: Sadhvi, 2 others charged with murder

A court in Nashik ordered brain-mapping, narco and polygraphy tests of the two retired army officers as it was told by the police that one of them was in touch with Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur already held in the case.

Nashik's civil judge P G Patil upheld Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad's plea to subject Upadhaya, a former army major, and Kulkarni to scientific tests and remanded both to 14-day police custody till November 10.

Understanding blast-hit Malegaon's maladies

It had last Thursday given permission for similar tests on 38-year-old Pragya Singh, a former office-bearer of Bharatiya Janata Party's student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.

Arguing for the remand of Upadhyay, who was picked up from Pune, and Kulkarni, arrested in Madhya Pradesh, public prosecutor Ajay Misar said it is necessary to keep the accused in 14-days police custody for investigation by ATS as the forensic report has revealed use of high explosives like RDX in the September 29 Malegaon blast which killed six persons.

Misar said there was communication between Upadhayay and Pragya Singh Thakur who is already in ATS custody till November 3.

Pleading before the court, Upadhyay, however denied the charges, including his meeting with Pragya Singh and his involvement in Malegaon blast, and said "I had shared a dais with the Sadhvi only once and did not have any communication with her for a long time since then."

Upadhyay said "I was in the army and a patriot and would never get involved in any anti-national activities".

"I am a heart patient and if remanded I would need a daily medical check-up," he said.

Misar told reporters that sections 302 (punishment for murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntary causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 427 (mischief causing damage) of the IPC while some sections under Explosives Act were levelled against Upadhyay and Kulkarni