A member of the Sanathan Sanstha, Vaibhav Raut was allegedly arrested following a raid at his house that recovered eight crude bombs and explosives late Thursday. The Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) of Maharashtra police arrested Raut at Nallasopara in Palghar district near Mumbai. Raut (40) who is a member of the right-wing Hindu organization has been associated with Sanstha since 2012. He was produced before the Bhoiwada court on Friday afternoon. The police said raw materials such as gunpowder and detonators were found that were enough to make two dozen bombs and explosives.
Sources said that the police maintained a vigil on Raut for a long time. The ATS, dog squad and the forensics team carried out the search on Thursday and continued till Friday. “Raut used his estate agency office to store and make the bombs and we have seized materials like gunpowder, detonators and other articles which could make a dozen more crude bombs. We believe Raut used his office as a front to make the bombs,” an ATS officer said to India TV.
The investigation is still on to find out the reason for producing such explosives in large numbers. Sanathan Sanstha allegiances in the past were arrested in connection to four bombings in Vashi, Thane, Panvel (all in 2007) and Goa (in 2009) and in the murders of Narendra Dabholkar (in 2013), Govind Pansare and MM Kalburgi (both in 2015). The Hindustan Times pointed out that Maharashtra Government had requested the centre to ban Sanathan Sanstha in 2017 whose links can be traced to the terrorist activities in Maharashtra and Goa but no action has been taken. Suvez Haque, deputy inspector general of the ATS refused to comment on the incident and said all queries will be answered from HQ ATS as per protocol.
