Rajasthan ATS to probe murder of Sunil Joshi's aide in MP

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan ATS has reportedly stumbled upon some facts suggesting that besides the murder of Sunil Joshi, a key suspect in the Ajmer dargah blast, who was shot dead near Dewas Bypass in Madhya Pradesh, one more killing took place there within a period of six months, that too to hush-up the involvement of some right-wing organizations in the blasts across the country.Joshi had been killed allegedly by other conspirators of the dargah blast case.
IG, Indore, Sanjay Rana told TOI over phone on Tuesday that the personnel of Rajasthan ATS had visited Giroda village near Indore many times in connection with investigation into the murder of one Ramprasad Kalouta, a close aide of Sunil Joshi. While Joshi was shot dead near Dewas Bypass in December 2007, Kalouta's body was found near railway tracks in Sanver police station area in June 2008.
"Ramprasad was a close friend of Joshi and is suspected to be involved in blasts at Ajmer dargah and Samjauta Express. Like Joshi, he was also murdered," said a senior ATS officer.
"During investigations after the murder, Madhya Pradesh police claimed that he was killed following a land dispute and some persons were put behind the bars. They are out on bail at present. But the whole investigation by the MP police reeks of some larger conspiracy," said the officer.
However, due to pressure, the Madhya Pradesh police has also changed its track in the probe into the murder of Ramprasad. IG Rana told TOI that the possibility that he was murdered due to his involvement in the blasts is not being ruled out. "Due to the sensitivity of the probe, nothing concrete can be said. But yes, there is a possibility that like Joshi, he was also murdered by his own people," he said.
He added that the MP police is cooperating with Rajasthan ATS and other agencies in their investigation into Ramprasad's murder.
The MP police had sat over the murder of Joshi for three years until Rajasthan ATS arrested Harshad Solanki and Mukesh Vasni from Gujarat for their alleged involvement in the dargah blast case. The MP police soon claimed that four men including the two were involved in Joshi's murder. They claimed Joshi was murdered so that involvement of other accused including senior office-bearers of the Hindu organizations could be protected. The name of senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar has already come up for his alleged role in Ajmer dargah blast case. One Bharat Bhai Rateshwar, an accused in Ajmer dargah blast case, who is at present in ATS's custody, has reportedly implicated Indresh Kumar in the Joshi murder case.
On Monday, Ashok Gehlot had issued a statement demanding that the MP government should hand over the Joshi murder case to CBI. He said Joshi was an RSS worker and MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also comes from an RSS background. "He (Chouhan) should come forward and transfer the case to CBI so that the country gets to know the truth," Gehlot had said.
CM's remark are being seen as a reflection of ATS's sentiments regarding the conspiracies hatched in Madhya Pradesh.