Another suspect arrested in Samjhauta Express blast case

In the second arrest in as many days in the Samjhauta Express blast case, Dhan Singh, a prime suspect, was on Monday arrested by the National Investigation Agency from Madhya Pradesh.

The arrest came even as the NIA told a Panchkula court that Rajender Chaudhary alias Pehalwan, who allegedly planted a bomb in the Pakistan-bound Samjhauta Express in 2007, played a key role in the entire operation.

Pehalwan, in his mid-30s, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency on Saturday night from Nagda, 50 km from Ujjain, where he was living under an assumed name.

Chaudhary has been sent to 12-day custody of the NIA by the court in Panchkula, near Chandigarh, which is hearing the matter.

Singh, who was arrested from Chitrakoot following intelligence inputs, is also suspected to be involved in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case, sources said in New Delhi.

Singh, who is one of the alleged conspirators in the Samjhauta case, was known as 'Swamiji' in Chitrakoot, they said.

It is the fifth arrest in the case. The NIA has already arrested Kamal Chauhan, Aseemanand and Lokesh Sharma for their alleged involvement in the blast.

A huge explosion that ripped through Samjhauta Express near Panipat in Haryana on February 18, 2007 had led to the loss of 68 lives, including women and children.