He knew about the plot, movement of arsenal, says Anti-Terrorism Squad.

The Maharashta Anti-Terrorism Squad on Friday made the fifth arrest in connection with the alleged plot to carry out disruptive activities in the State.

The ATS had on August 10 arrested three people from Nallasopara and Pune, and recovered a large cache of arms, ammunition and explosives from them. It arrested a fourth man from Jalna on August 19.

According to officers, the man arrested on Friday, Avinash Pawar,30, is a resident of Bhatwadi in Ghatkopar (West). “Pawar was picked up for questioning on Friday evening, after the interrogation of the previously arrested accused and corroborative inquiries pointed to his involvement in the plot,” an ATS officer said.

The officer said that according to inquiries so far, Pawar was involved in the planning of the attacks and had full knowledge about the plot and the movement of the arsenal. “We are finding out whether he was also trained in handling and assembling arms and explosives.” Pawar was produced in the sessions court, which remanded him in police custody till August 31.

Pawar worked as a loader at the Mazgaon dock. His family members said he was also the president of an organisation named the Swarajya Yuva Prathistha.

Friends and relatives rallied around Pawar, refusing to believe that he could be involved in any illegal activities. “He has no connections to any right wing organisations. Sanatan Sanstha members would visit his residence only to preach and to sell products like incense sticks, but that was the extent of his interaction with them,” his cousin Ganesh Pawar said.