Mecca Masjid case: CBI announces reward

NEW DELHI: CBI announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh for providing information on each of the two accused, Sandeep Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra, in the Mecca Masjid Blast in Hyderabad in 2007.

"The Central Bureau of Investigation has announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh to any person providing information leading to the arrest of each of the two absconding accused," CBI spokesperson Harsh Bhal said.

Both Dange alias Parmanand and Kalsangra alias Ramji alias Vishnu Patel are residents of Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

After registering the case on June 9, 2007, CBI took over the custody of two persons -- Devender Gupta and Lokesh Sharma, who are also accused in Ajmer Dargah blast case.

"Both these accused were earlier arrested by ATS Rajasthan in the said blast case," Bhal said adding that the names of Dange and Kalsangra figured during their interrogation.

Gupta is in CBI custody till June 30, 2010 while Sharma is in judicial custody.

The Mecca Masjid blast on May 18, 2007 had claimed nine lives, whereas five people were killed in subsequent police firing on protesters near the mosque.

"The name of the informant shall be kept secret," the official added.