The accused, identified as Shivaji Ram Rathod (26), was arrested from Nagpur on FridayThe man arrested for placing a “bomb-like” object at the Ushakiran Superspecialty Hospital in Pune’s Hadapsar has been remanded to police custody till May 21 by a court in Pune.The accused identified as Shivaji Ram Rathod (26) was arrested from Nagpur on Friday. Police produced him before the Cantonment Court on Saturday and sought his custody for further investigation. Rathod is a native of Solapur, but was currently residing in a rented house in Mundhwa, and operated a shop taken on rent in Manjari.Police told the court that investigation is on to know from where the accused procured the “gelatin sticks” that he had used for making the “bomb-like” object. Also, the police submitted in the court that the possibility of the accused having any links with dreaded terrorist organisations cannot be ruled out and this needs to be investigated.Police are probing the bank accounts and financial transactions of the accused. Police said a probe is being done to know whether he wanted to target more places like the Ushakiran Superspecialty Hospital. Police are trying to find out whether the accused was provoked by anybody for committing the offence.On Friday, speaking to the media persons, Amitesh Kumar, Commissioner of Pune City Police had said that prima-facie no explosive content was found in the bomb-like object in this case.“It was not an actual bomb. The accused planned to extort money from the doctor by placing dummy equipment in the hospital,” he said.Police had diffused the object using explosives. The soil at the spot after the diffusion was sent to the forensic lab. “Forensic report is awaited and it will confirm whether any other explosive content than what we used for diffusing the object was present,” police commissioner had said.Story continues below this adAccording to Dr Vilas Gaikwad, owner of the Ushakiran Superspecialty Hospital, a woman staffer spotted the bomb-like object inside mens washroom on the first floor, around 7 pm. Dr Gaikwad kept the suspicious object, with a timer showing a time of 7.10, in a box, in the open space outside the hospital and informed the police within a few minutes. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) destroyed the object at the Gliding Centre in Hadapsar on Wednesday night.Based on a complaint filed by a hospital employee, an offence was lodged at the Hadapsar police station in this case, under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 109 (1) (attempt to murder), 125, 288 and Section 4 (punishment for attempt to cause explosion, or for making or keeping explosive with intent to endanger life or property) of the Explosive Substances Act.Following clues obtained from CCTV footage and technical investigation, the Pune city police and Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) traced the accused and nabbed him at the Nagpur railway junction, while he was on his way to West Bengal, and wanted to escape to Nepal. Police officials said the accused was facing financial problems and had been to the Ushakiran Superspecialty Hospital on May 10 for treatment on his disease.The doctors gave him an estimate of the cost of treatment. It may have led to his dispute with the doctors. Due to it, he decided to place a bomb-like object at the hospital and then call the doctor to extort money for clearing his debts and undergo treatment, police said.Story continues below this adProbe revealed by watching some Youtube videos, the accused purchased a digital watch online, procured wires and other material from different spots for making the “dummy” bomb. Police commissioner said during a search at the residence and shop of the accused, an empty case of the digital watch used in the bomb-like object was recovered.Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:pune