NIA has recorded the statement of a suspended ATS officer who made a sensational claim before a court that two absconding accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case were dead.

The NIA had recently summoned former senior inspector Mehmood Mujawar of ATS in Mumbai and recorded his statement, official sources said. The sources said he had been asked to provide evidence about his claims made before the Solapur court that Ramchandra Kalsangre and Sandeep Dange are "no more".