Former Shiv Sena corporator was main financier for right-wing terror group

Shrikant Pangarkar

Former Shiv Sena corporator Shrikant Pangarkar, 40, was the main financier of the right-wing terror group suspected of making crude bombs and country-made guns seized in Nalasopara on August 10. However, sources in the anti-terrorism squad (ATS) said that Pangarkar was a mere 'puppet', and they are trying to identify the real mastermind. The sources added that Pangarkar was being questioned since August 18, and officers had searched his residences at Aurangabad and Jalna as well.'

They seized mobile phones, pen drives, hard disk, diaries and other materials that need to be analysed. Sources added that they were checking the trail of money, and where Pangarkar got the funding for guns and crude bombs. They are also investigating if he involved in getting the material for the weapons or just the cash. The agency is further probing his involvement in Dr Narendra Dabholkar's shooting.

Now in lock-up
Pangarkar was produced in the sessions court and remanded to police custody till August 28. The ATS prosecutor said they needed time to check if he had received any training and if the documents seized were coded. They also want to investigate which targets were surveilled by him. Defence advocate Sanjeev Punalekar argued that there was no need for police custody, as the bank details would be provided by the bank and hard disks would be analysed by the state forensic laboratory.

The ATS has so far arrested three other suspects - Vaibhav Raut, Sharad Kalaskar and Sudhanva Gondhalkar - on August 10, when they were allegedly planning terror attacks in Mumbai, Pune, Nalasopara, Satara and Kolhapur. Subsequent raids in Pune and Nalasopara led to seizures of crude bombs, country firearms and other evidence.

Who is Pangarkar?
Shrikant Jagannath Pangarkar, 40, currently resides in Aurangabad but originally hails from Jalna. There, he was a Shiv Sena corporator between 2001 and 2010. In 2011, he left Sena. Three years ago, he moved to Aurangabad with his wife, two children and elderly mother. He owns a restaurant, as well as a grocery and kerosene store there.

Sources in investigation agencies said, "Shrikant is an active member of right-wing organisations, was actively involved in various programmes of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, and had also attended a Sanatan Sanstha meeting in Goa. At his house, we found a burnt motorbike, which has raised the suspicion of tampering of evidence. We also found pen drives, hard disk and other incriminating documents there."