Mecca Masjid blast: RSS leader Indresh Kumar questioned by CBI

Indresh, who has been a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's Central Working Committee for past four years, termed CBI's move to question him as a "conspiracy" by the Congress and denied any involvement in the case.

"I have been called here under a fabricated story. I have been living a transparent life ever since my birth and association with RSS. I have devoted my entire life to the nation," he told reporters outside CBI headquarters.

"For the past many years, Congress party and its certain leaders are trying to harm both RSS and my image which has also been exposed through Wikileaks," he said.

CBI officials investigating the case had sent a notice to Indresh under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) which authorises the concerned agency to seek a person's appearance before it who is supposed to be acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case.

"To label Hindus and saffron as terrorist and to enquire about it is entirely wrong and a matter of embarrassment for the whole Hindu community living here and abroad," the RSS leader said.

A cell phone-triggered pipe bomb explosion inside the Mecca Masjid during Friday prayers on May 18, 2007 left nine dead and 70 injured.

The CBI had on December 18 filed an 80-page charge sheet in the case in a court in Hyderabad against Devendra Gupta and Lokesh Sharma, who were also allegedly involved in Ajmer blasts in the same year, accusing them of murder and other offences.
Both Gupta and Sharma allegedly have links with a right-wing Hindu outfit, the agency officials claimed.

The prime accused in the case Sandeep Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra alias Ramji, are still absconding while another accused Swami Asimanand is being interrogated by the agency. One more accused Sunil Joshi was killed by three gunmen in Dewas (Madhya Pradesh) on December 29, 2007.

Gupta and Sharma, who are presently in judicial remand in Hyderabad, have been charged under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) in the chargesheet.

They were also charged under sections 3, 4 and 5 of Explosive Substance Act 1908 and under Sections 13, 15, 16, 18, 19 and 23 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967, the CBI officer, who was part of the investigation, said.