New Delhi, Following of the disclosures made to the Anti Terrorist Squad by the accused in the Malegaon blast during investigation that VHP international general secretary Praveen Togadia funded the incident, the Home Ministry has asked the Intelligence Bureau to keep regular tap of the activities of Togadia.

According to highly placed Home Ministry sources ATS officials could any time seek the custody of Togadia for further probe, so the agencies have been directed to keep a close eye on his the activities. The firebrand VHP leader who came to limelight for his inflammatory remarks against minority community has been put under close scanner as the ATS apprehends he might try to move out the country to avoid his possible arrest.

Togadia's name surfaced after ATS made it public that Lt. Col. Purohit had disclosed during the course of interrogation revealing that Togadia had been funding ``Abhinav Bharat'', an ultra right wing pro-Hindu outfit that has its links with the RSS. Purohit also reported to have told his interrogators about close links between Togadia and Sadhvi Pragya Thakur alleged mastermind of Malegaon blast.

The Home Ministry has reportedly asked the intelligence agencies to gather all available inputs about Togadia's possible involvement in the blast from across the country and send them to ATS for a detailed study and a subsequent action.

The UPA government is tightening noose on Togadia as he has of late been sidelined by the leaders of the RSS, VHP and BJP. At the behest of the government the IB is also assessing the political implication in the event of the arrest of Togadia. Even if the IB gets convincing evidences against him he would not in any case be taken into custody in the middle of the ensuing assembly elections in four states of cow belt as it could hamper the electoral prospects of the ruling party.

In a recent meeting that was organized by pro-Hindu militant outfits to raise support in favour of Sadhvi and other in Panipat where all top functionaries of RSS and VHP had participated along with BJP Chief Rajnath Singh, Togadia, was not invited. He however, clarified that he wanted to give it a miss. No reason was sounded for that.

In that meeting where Yoga guru Baba Ramdev was present, saffron leaders had vowed to protect Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and condemned the newly-coined term ``Hindu'' terrorism. When the news of the presence of Ramdev at the meeting and his remarks in favour of Sadhvi and other accused appeared in the media and IB immediately took cognizance of it, the spiritual leader was immediate to release a statement to the press clearly disowning the Panipat meeting and Sadhvi and others.

It is understood that National Security Advisor, who was sent by the Prime Minister to brief the Leader of Opposition L K Advani shared with him the inputs relating to the role of top leadership of VHP with Abhinav Bharat, said a senior Home Ministry functionary.

The sleuths of the IB are currently trying to trace the source of money that was allegedly transacted by Togadia to fund the activities of Abhinav Bharat.

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