The claim by Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad about presence of RDX in the 2007 Samjhauta train blast has flummoxed investigators, who probed the attack, as forensic analysis had shown no signs of the deadly explosive being used in the terror strike that left 68 people dead.
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The counsel for the ATS, Ajay Misra, informed the designated court in Nashik that they wanted the custody of Lt Colonel Shrikant Prasad Purohit for four more days as they wanted to investigate the source of 60 kg of RDX, which could have been used in the blast on the train linking India and Pakistan.
According to the forensic analysis, the material used in the train blast a highly flammable cocktail of fuel oils and chemical stored in dozens of plastic bottles and packed inside a suitcase, mixed with pieces of cloth to keep the fire going.
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This was covered with a foam pad embedded with a small electronic circuit board in a transparent plastic box.
The chemical composition was Potassium Chlorate and Sulphur, the report had said.
Several Mumbai Police officials, involved in the probe in the Malegaon, said on condition of anonymity that further questioning of Purohit was necessary as they were ascertaining the exact source of the RDX.
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Purohit's counsel Avinash Bhide said he had brought this to light before the court.
"What needs to be seen are the charges that will be pressed against Col Purohit in the chargesheet to be filed by the Mumbai ATS," Bhide told PTI.
He said that his client had no role to play in what was being alleged by the ATS in the court.
Purohit is suspected to have given some of the RDX to an individual identified as Bhagwan who could have used it in the Samjhauta train blasts, ATS told the court in Nashik on Saturday.
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"The source of the RDX is still not known and it is presently under investigations," the ATS counsel had told the court while seeking his further remand.
Some of the investigators from central security agencies said that Samjhauta blast could have been triggered by the group of which the army officer was a part.
The investigations into the Samjhauta blast had revealed that a tailor shop in Indore had allegedly made the cover for the suitcases used to carry bomb in the train.
Two persons including Pragya Thakur were picked up from Indore and both of them had been allegedly giving evasive answers about their role in the Samjhauta blasts, officials said, adding "some confrontation" would be required in order to join the pieces of Samjhauta jigsaw.
