Guess who they are praying for?

These Muslim clerics had gathered in support of Indresh Kumar at the CBI office in Delhi, where the RSS leader was being questioned for his alleged involvement in the Mecca Masjid blast

These Muslim clerics had gathered in support of Indresh Kumar at the CBI office in Delhi, where the RSS leader was being questioned for his alleged involvement in the Mecca Masjid blast

What transpired inside the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office in Delhi during the five hours when Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh Kumar was being questioned is anybody's guess.


All in unison: Members of Rashtriya Muslim Manchu00a0praying for Indresh Kuma.

But the scenes outside were quite startling to say the least. About thirty Muslim clerics who had gathered there stayed put for the entire period. They spent some of the time praying for Kumar's safety.

Mohammed Afzal, National Convener of Rashtriya Muslim Manch, said: "Indresh Kumarji has created this organisation, for a simple reason - creating bonhomie between Hindus and Muslims. This organisation also consists of RSS workers. Now, when he is facing such charges, we will support him; always."

Harmony and bonhomie
"The government cannot digest the bonding between RSS and Muslims and that is why it is doing this. The moment we detach ourselves from the RSS, even this case will disappear. But we will stand by Indresh Kumarji and will support him," said Shiraz Quraishi, another National Convener of the group.u00a0

Rashtriya Muslim Manch has about 22 branches spread across the country and is active in about 150 districts.
Kumar maintained he is being framed.

"It's a political conspiracy by the Congress party. I am not aware why the investigators have called me. As a law-abiding citizen, I have come here to answer whatever questions they have," he said.

Blast from the past
Kumar, who has been instrumental in including Muslim members in the RSS, faced interrogation in connection with the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast in Hyderabad that killed nine people. Meanwhile apart from praying for Kumar's welfare the clerics also appealed to the Almighty for the nation's prosperity and peace. "We pray to God for everyone's well-being," said one of them.

Kumar though had his defence ready. The RSS leader also invoked Wikileaks as a testimonial of his innocence. "Congress and some of its leaders are trying to harm the RSS and my image and even WikiLeaks has exposed that," he said.u00a0

CBI officials investigating the case had sent a notice to Kumar 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 a case. Sources said that Kumar is likely to be called again for questioning.

May 18, 2007
The day a bomb exploded inside the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad during the Friday prayers
5 hours
Duration for which Indresh Kumar was grilled by CBI

Intelligence quotient

Intelligence Bureau sleuths were sprawled outside CBI office on Thursday when Indresh Kumar's questioning was going on inside. Clad in civil clothes, they were trying to eavesdrop on conversations of mediapersons and supporters of Kumar, who had gathered outside the CBI office. When one of them was asked where he is from, he said: "I am from a PR agency ADE and have come with someone."

Joining the dots

The CBI had earlier this month filed a chargesheet in connection with blast case naming Devendra Gupta and Lokesh Sharma, who were arrested by the Rajasthan ATS for their alleged role in Ajmer Dargah blast case in 2007. Asked why Kumar, who has been a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's Central Working Committee for past four years, was called by the agency even though his name did not figure in the chargesheet, a senior CBI official said the agency had filed an application for conducting further investigation. Kumar said the CBI quizzed him about activities of RSS and his personal life. "Today they took information about my personal life. Besides it they asked for information about the RSS organisational activities, Muslim Rashtriya Manch, Himalaya Parivar and other organisations," he said.

Blow out

On May 18, 2007, a bomb exploded in the Mecca Masjid mosque in Charminar area, Hyderabad during the Friday prayers at 1.25pm. Examination of the crime scene had resulted in the discovery of another Improvised Explosive Device (IED). This IED contained a SIM card with mobile phone set as alarm. Both the accused, Gupta and Sharma, allegedly have links with a right-wing Hindu outfit, the agency officials claimed.