MUMBAI: Officers who were part of the ATS investigation into the 2008 Malegaon bombing, on Friday rejected NIA's theory that the ATS may have planted the RDX traces to implicate the accused in the case.

"The case is with them. We don't want to comment. But if what the NIA said is true, why have they not given a clean chit to Lt Col Prasad Purohit? Our boss, Hemant Karkare, is no more and we trust his investigation," one of them said.

Then led by Karkare, the ATS had, for the first time, arrested right-wing outfit members. This hadn't gone down well with some political parties, say sources.

"Till the time investigations were with the ATS, we did a fair job. Karkare is no more and suspecting his investigation is not fair. We worked hard to get evidence and produced them before the court," said an officer who was part of the probe. He added phone conversations, conspiracy meetings and financial transactions were strong evidence to prove the charges.

Several ATS officers, now working for other departments or re very focused on the case and we got Puro hit in only after we satisfied senior defence officials. The probe is with them (NIA), they are doing whatever they want to. Earlier, Rohini Salian had spoken about the NIA changing the angle of probe and later papers went missing from the court," said an officer.

Some ATS officers said they didn't want to comment on the case and it was up to the courts to decide what was true, what was not.



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