Ahmedabad: During and after the investigation in the 2008 serial blasts case, investigators termed the incidents of bombings in Ahmedabad and planting of bombs in Surat as “homegrown” terror and claimed it was the handiwork of former members of the Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), who had created a new outfit named the Indian Mujahideen.During the investigation, a connection to Pakistan emerged briefly and the defence raised the issue on a couple of occasions during the trial.In his cross-examination, a police witness and the first investigator in the Civil Hospital blast case — then police inspector of Shahibaug J N Parmar — disclosed, as the HC recorded in its order: “It was further revealed that all across India, such bomb blasts were planned by the persons associated with Pakistani controlled ‘Indian Mujahideen’.”The alleged Pakistan connection again cropped up during a search of accused Abbas Sameja in Bhuj town of Kutch district. The court noted that Sameja was involved in a panchnama drawn at his residence. “Accused No 16 (Sameja) took police to his residence at Bhuj and on search of that place some articles-objects were found and seized, and one particular article which is one chit of paper, in which mobile number 0092212527248 was written and below that number, it is further written that the mobile number is of SIMI Pakistan. This panchnama is proved through panch witness Exh.6604 and I.O. Exh.6806.”Highlighting the issue to allege a misdirected investigation, a defence counsel asserted, “Though panchnama refers to a mobile number of a SIMI operative of Pakistan, there is no investigation in this regard. Therefore, the investigating officer is consistently not investigating in the right direction.”
