Author: Special Correspondent
Publication: Afternoon Despatch & Courier
Date: December 18, 2006
URL: http://www.cybernoon.com/DisplayArticle.asp?section=fromthepress&subsection=inbombay&xfile=December2006_inbombay_standard11655
Introduction: Eyewitness held guilty by police in 1990 bomb-blast case acquitted after 16 years but questions the state for shielding real accused
Thirty-Five years old Saurabh Alias Abhimanyu Yashwant Altekar, resident of Vileparle (East) has been living with a blot against his name as an accused of bomb blast case since last 16 years. However, on Saturday he received justice as the Sewree Sessions Court acquitted him in the bomb blast case that happened in the house of former Loksatta Editor Madhav Gadkari. Though happy, but what he said was quite inevitable, Altekar has a mission in his mind, that is to expose the system which was keen to punish the non-guilty like him and showed little interest in taking action against the real culprits. "Its not benefit of doubt. Altekar is a case of clear acquittal," observed Sessions Judge Belarkar.
The bomb blast took place in the house of Gadakari on December 20, 1990 while Gadkari was the editor of Lokasatta. Varsha Pradhan, Gadkari's daughter lodged a complaint against unknown persons. Altekar an active member of RSS and a supporter of BJP and VHP since childhood was taken in to custody despite the fact that, there were no eyewitnesses or any evidence against him. "I am the one who has been telling the police that I knew the culprits, I could be an eye witness. I was never an accused but for the sake of helping court arrive at justice I offered to be an approver but police did not want to nab the real culprits," said Altekar. He even showed letter written to Designated MCOCA/POTA court asking to allow him a hearing. "They say they found books on how to make bomb in my house. Yes, I had got it from somewhere, but that does not mean I am an accused. I had been telling them this since long but they did not care. Instead they wanted to send me to asylum," told Altekar.
He says, "I want all the information that I had given to as evidence on record. It involves highly influential people including high profile politicians. I don't want the government to acquire evidence and names from me and destroy it."
"I have been influenced by the philosophy of Hindutva and I am attached to the RSS, BJP and VHP. How can I separate myself from that," said Altekar, a diploma holder in Computer and Automobile Engineering. "They arrested me when I was 19 years of age and have ruined my life. I am not married, I never had permanent job, and the blot against my name deprived me of happy, normal life. And all the while, I just wanted to convince the state, to arrest the real culprits," Altekar stated adding that the case was moved to fast track court only in October 2005 after almost 15 years and at last I am acquitted after a year. "I knew I would be acquitted. They did not have a shred of evidence to prove me guilty. However, I have all the evidence against the people who did the blasts but nobody wants to take that. There is no one who wants to expose the true facts," said Altekar.