Operation Madani: How Bengaluru cops nabbed 2008 serial blast accused

The 2008 serial blasts in Bengaluru had rocked the entire city and there were alarm bells ringing across the state. A total of 9 blasts were reported on July 25, 2008 leaving 20 injured and 1 dead. The blasts started off on Hosur road to Nayandahalli on Mysuru road creating panic among the residents. These low-intensity blasts had mostly occurred in crowded areas.

Following the incident, the Bengaluru cops acted swiftly in nabbing the accused but the key conspirator Madani remained elusive for over 2 years before he was arrested from Kerala on August 17, 2010.

2008 Bengaluru blasts were to destabilise the BJP govt in Karnataka, says ex-DGP

In conversation with Republic, former-DGP (Director General of Police) of Karnataka, Shankar Bidari, the then Commissioner of Bengaluru city spoke about the operation Madani which led to the apprehension of the accused. He pointed out about the specific evidence found against Madani, which led to his arrest, saying, "During the course of investigation, we came across evidence in Kodagu district, which proved that he was the key conspirator as the accused had carried out the last blast on Mysuru road and then they had fled to Kodagu via Mysuru."

Talking about the findings in the initial stages, Shankar Bidari said, "The only thing we knew in the preliminary course of investigation was that blasts took from Hosur road to Mysuru road and we got to know that the accused had come from Mysuru. We were able to trace the accused and central agencies assisted us as well."

"We filed the chargesheet in the case in 2010, but we feel sad that all the accused are under trials for 13 years. I want to bring this to the attention of the judiciary that swift action has to be taken in the case," the former-top cop asserted. 

Explaining about Madani's role in the blasts, he said, "Madani had motivated the remnants of the SIMI group to carry out these blasts, but he had no link with the terror outfit Lashkar-E-Taiba and he was nabbed from Kerala. Madani was the one who had instigated others to carry out the explosions. He had planned and plotted all this."

Revealing the political motive behind the explosions, he pointed, "These bombings happened in 2008 when the BJP government came to power and it was done in a bid to destabilize the government here by creating panic, confusion and chaos."

Former-Commissioner of Police, Bhaskar Rao speaking to Republic stated, "Gelatin sticks were used for the attack, but even though they were low intensity blasts, the bombs were placed in crowded areas to maximize the damage. Their motive was to spread terror by claiming as many lives as possible."

Gopal Hosur, who was the then Additional Commissioner of Police and investigating officer said, "An LET operative Nazir had confessed that Madani was the mastermind behind the links. This was instrumental for us in picking him up from Kerala and had complete support of the Kerala police. We produced him before the local magistrate there and later brought him back to Bengaluru."

Interestingly the charge sheet submitted in 2010 mentioned Madani as accused number- 31, but the judicial procedure is on for around 13 years. Even as the victims of the bomb blasts wait for justice, Madani gets a hero's reception in Kerala after he was released on bail.