Three years to the day since the Chinnaswamy stadium blast shattered a cricket crazy city, a bomb planted on a motorcycle exploded on Wednesday a mere 100 metres from the offices of the ruling BJP in the heart of the residential neighbourhood of Malleshwaram, injuring at least 17 people, most of them policemen.
The uncanny coincidence was reinforced by the fact that the bomb exploded at 10.20 am on the last day of filing nominations, when it would have been customary for Temple Street to be crawling with BJP leaders after they had filed their nominations and prayed in an area with a number of temples. Elections to the Karnataka Assembly are due May 5. Police investigators told this newspaper they were confident of homing in on the suspect after they claimed to have gained certain vital clues about the bomber who parked the two-wheeler at the blast site. Top police officials confirmed to this newspaper that a person who claimed to have seen the bomber has been picked up so that a sketch can be made. The investigating team is also talking to two police constables who saw the bike owners parking at the blast site.
“We have three people who claim to have seen the bomber and, depending on their descriptions, the sketch artists are put on as they were part of Mr Musharraf’s inner circle when he imposed emergency in 2007.
In a Facebook message, Mr Musharraf’s office said: “We expect this unwarranted judicial activism, seemingly motivated by personal vendettas since his return to Pakistan... will cease and the Supreme Court, without prejudice, will immediately grant necessary relief... The absence of which can result in unnecessary tension amongst various pillars of the state and possibly destabilise the country.”
Sources said the government was considering a proposal to declare Mr Musharraf’s farmhouse a “sub-jail” so that he can be detained there. The authorities feel it may be better to hold him at his residence due to serious threats to his life, the sources added.
Mr Musharraf’s motorcade drove from the court to his farmhouse, where he spent the rest of the day consulting aides and legal experts. His lawyers could not appeal against the order for his arrest in the Supreme Court as they did not have a copy of the high court order. The Supreme Court office directed the lawyers to file the appeal on Friday.
Mohammad Amjad, a senior leader of Mr Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League, told reporters the former President was “not hiding or a fugitive”. He said: “He is at his home, protected by the police and Pakistan Rangers.” Mr Amjad added Mr Musharraf would act according to the law and if necessary he will surrender to the authorities.
Soon after Mr Musharraf returned to his farmhouse, a contingent of Pakistan Rangers deployed to protect him left the residence, which was interpreted as a sign that the security establishment will not back him. But later in the day, other policemen and anti-terrorism squad members were deployed around the farmhouse.
Earlier, during court proceedings, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui noted Mr Musharraf was accused of destroying the judicial system, and ordered the charge of terrorism to be added. The court also noted Mr Musharraf’s fleeing from the premises, and has summoned Islamabad’s IGP to appear on Friday and explain what measures have been taken to arrest Mr Musharraf.
On Thursday, meanwhile, the broadcast of Capital TV, a private TV channel, was shut down across Pakistan when a guest on a live talk show insulted Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.