In a significant development aimed at conclusively establishing the identity of a long-absconding individual with alleged Naxal connections, a special court in Mumbai has granted permission to the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) to conduct a DNA test. The subject of the investigation is Prashant Kamble, who is accused of evading law enforcement for a staggering 15 years while operating under various assumed names.
The Elusive Operative and His Many Aliases
The prosecution presented that Prashant Kamble, a former computer technician from Pune, masterfully concealed his true identity over the years. He is alleged to have functioned under several aliases, including ‘Laptop’, ‘Rohit’, and most notably, ‘Sunil Chandrakant Jagtap’. It is under this last pseudonym that he is accused of fabricating a passport and other crucial government documents. While Kamble has admitted to being Prashant Jalindar Kamble, he has not acknowledged the identity of Sunil Chandrakant Jagtap, creating a critical hurdle for investigators.
Court's Rationale for Scientific Evidence
Special Judge Chakor Shrikrishna Baviskar, presiding over the case, underscored the unique difficulty faced by the ATS in pinning down the identity of such an individual. The judge elaborated that when a person repeatedly poses as another and creates false official documents under different names, establishing their true identity requires robust and satisfactory evidence. Granting the ATS's application, the court noted that scientific DNA analysis would be instrumental in proving whether the two names belong to the same person or, conversely, could aid the defence if they are indeed different individuals. A pivotal point in the ruling was the court's observation that the accused himself had no objection to providing biological samples for the test.
The court's order explicitly states: "The investigating agency is allowed to take biological samples of accused Prashant Jalindar Kamble, presently lodged with Arthur Road Prison, Mumbai, for the purpose of DNA analysis, by following all due provisions of all the applicable acts."
Background and Serious Charges
Prashant Kamble's run from the law ended when the Maharashtra ATS finally arrested him in Pune on May 4. He was a wanted figure in a case dating back to 2011, which invokes the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) alongside relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to forgery and criminal conspiracy. The prosecution's case hinges on proving a pattern of deliberate identity concealment to further alleged unlawful activities.
This move for a DNA test marks a crucial step in a complex legal battle, aiming to use modern forensic science to unravel a web of identities woven over a decade and a half. The outcome is expected to have a substantial impact on the trial, which involves grave charges under India's primary anti-terror legislation.
