A former Colonel is now being probed by the ATS for alleged links with the Malegaon blast prime accused Lt Col S P Purohit and may have extended help in training cadres of Abhinav Bharat, a little-known right wing group suspected to be involved in the conspiracy.

The Anti Terrorism [Images] Squad(ATS) is investigating Col (retd) S S Raikar, who served as Commandant of Bhonsale Military School in Nashik after his premature retirement earlier this year. At the time of his retirement, he was with the Army Liaison Cell, a face of the Military Intelligence.

 When contacted, an Army spokesperson in Delhi [Images] acknowledged that Raikar was under the ATS scanner.

 It is "not considered appropriate to provide inputs on personnel who are currently being investigated by ATS," Veerndra Singh, APRO (Army), said in a written response to PTI.

In Nashik, the ATS today produced before a local court self-styled guru Dayanad Pandey alias Mahant Amritanand who was arrested from Kanpur for his alleged involvement in the blast. He was remanded to police custody till November 26.

The prosecution also sought permission to conduct polygraph, narco-analysis and brain mapping tests on Pandey which was granted by joint civil judge H K Ganatra.

 Pandey is suspected to have attended meetings held in Bhopal, Pune and Faridabad prior to the September 29 Malegaon blast that killed six people and left 80 injured.

The meetings were allegedly attended by other arrested persons in the case including Purohit.