Goa police probing foreign links of right-wing outfit

Panaji, Oct 19 (PTI) Goa Police is probing the foreign
links of Hindu right-wing organisaiton Sanatan Sanstha,
allegedly involved in the Margao blast in which two of its
members were killed.

"Some foreigners often visited the ashram at Ramnathi.
I have checked with the police. They were not even submitting
their C forms to police station," state Home Minister Ram Naik
told PTI.

Foreigners on tourist visas are required to submit the
C forms.

"We have found that many foreigners used to visit the
place. We need to know what they were doing here," he said,
adding police had tried to get the details of those people but
the ashram has no record of them.

Sanatan ashram at Ramnathi has been under the scanner
after the blast. Two persons, owing allegiance to the Sanstha,
linked to 2008 Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh
Thakur, were killed in the blast on Friday night. The police
has confirmed that IED was used in the blast.

The Sanstha has denied the allegations against it
terming them as "baseless".

Though police has confirmed the arrest of one person
in the case, Naik said formal arrests are yet to be made
although some people have been detained.

He said that in the wake of blasts, the foreign links
of the ashram have attained importance. "Even yesterday, there
were three French nationals staying in the ashram".

To a question, Naik said there were no intelligence
inputs about the blast. "At least, I was not informed about
any inputs".

Naik refused to comment on whether the CID had been on
the lookout of the main accused in the blast, Malgonda Patil.

The organisation had on October 11 claimed that police
were on the look out for Patil. PTI