Rohini court explosion: DRDO scientist arrested for planting explosive to kill neighbour

Kataria had planted the explosive in a tiffin box inside the courtroom as he wanted to kill his neighbour, who is an advocate, police said.
Delhi Police (File Photo | PTI)
Delhi Police (File Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has arrested a senior Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientist, Bharat Bhushan Kataria, in connection with the low-intensity IED blast inside the Rohini district court complex on December 9, officials said on Saturday.

The explosive was kept in a tiffin box and was placed inside courtroom 102. The explosion injured one person. The motive, the police claimed, was to kill his neighbour, a lawyer.

The police claimed the 47-year-old DRDO scientist had entered the court premises at 9.33 am on the day of the incident with two bags and kept one with a tiffin bomb inside courtroom 102.He and left the premises at 10.35 am.

“A search of his house has revealed several incriminating pieces of evidence. Several file covers, identical to those which were present in the IED bag, similar screws that were used as shrapnel in IED, remnants of the black adhesive tape used in fabricating the IED were recovered from his house. Attire used by the accused to enter the court complex (black coat and trousers) have also been recovered. Some incriminating documents and other electronic devices including laptops and mobile phones were also seized,” the police said. 

The police said Bhushan and the lawyer had a longstanding dispute. “Both the parties had lodged several cases against each other. They live in the same building. Prima facie, it seems Kataria had a grudge against the lawyer,” an officer said.

The lawyer lives on the ground floor of the building while the accused lives on the third floor. “It has emerged that Bhushan and the advocate were living in the same building till about three years ago. They have a dispute of over 10 years and have filed over a dozen civil and criminal cases against each other,” the police said.

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