NIA to probe Gujarat BJP murders, sniffs Pakistan role

NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency is probing if there was a ‘bigger conspiracy’ behind the murders of two BJP leaders in Gujarat’s Bharuch district last month, allegedly at the behest of 1993 Mumbai serial blasts accused and underworld don Javed Patel, known as Javed Chikna.
Sources said NIA is looking at whether the murders were committed with a possible plan to trigger communal unrest across the country.They are not ruling out the possible involvement of Pak agencies and Dawood Ibrahim behind this design to eliminate BJP leaders with a known “communal” image.
NIA dispatched an inspector general (IG) rank officer to Bharuch on Tuesday to monitor the investigations and unearth the conspiracy behind targeting the BJP/Sangh leaders.
An NIA team is already questioning two contract killers - Abid Dawood Patel (Javed Chikna’s brother) and Salim Ganchi-- who were allegedly paid Rs 50 lakh for the killings.
Former president of party’s Bharuch district and senior RSS member Shirish Bangali and general secretary of Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha of the district Pragnesh Mistry were shot dead on November 2. Abid and Salim were among seven suspects arrested by Gujarat police. NIA has registered a case under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and relevant sections of IPC.
Sources said three more BJP leaders were on the hit-list of the module. It is suspected that Javed Chikna had a list of BJP/RSS leaders who could be targeted.
NIA, Gujarat police and Intelligence Bureau are trying to ascertain which other leaders of BJP and RSS were on the hit-list Chikna, who was reportedly is operating from South Africa at the behest of Dawood’s right hand man Chhota Shakeel.
What kept the agencies on the toes is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Kutch for DG/IG conference, taking place between December 18 and 20.