Former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, recently acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, has made a startling allegation, claiming that investigators coerced her to implicate prominent figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the case. This accusation surfaces after a special NIA court acquitted all seven accused in the Malegaon blast case, citing inconsistencies and lack of cogent evidence presented by the prosecution.
The 2008 Malegaon blasts case pertains to an incident on September 29, 2008, when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon, Maharashtra, resulting in the death of six people and injuries to 95 others. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested the accused, including Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit, within weeks of the bombing. The case was later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Pragya Thakur has maintained her innocence throughout the trial, alleging that the ATS illegally detained and tortured her. She accused the then Congress government of wrongfully arresting her. Thakur also claimed that she was suffering from cancer while lodged in Byculla jail, and her bail applications on health grounds were rejected by various courts.
In 2016, the NIA filed a charge sheet stating that there was not enough evidence to proceed against Thakur. However, the special court refused to accept the NIA's contention, stating that there was prima facie evidence to put Thakur on trial since she "owned" the motorcycle used in the bombing. The Bombay High Court granted Thakur bail in April 2017.
In her recent statement, Thakur has claimed that investigators attempted to coerce her into naming Narendra Modi, who was not Prime Minister at the time, as well as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, and others, in connection with the Malegaon blast case.
Following her acquittal, Thakur declared it a victory for "Bhagwa, Sanatana and Rashtra," accusing the Congress party of fabricating the lawsuit against her and the other six accused. She stated that the case was baseless and that the Congress party uses respectful words for terrorists and cannot become a nation-loving party.
The special NIA court, in its verdict, stated that the prosecution failed to establish the case beyond a reasonable doubt, leading to the acquittal of all seven accused. The court also noted inconsistencies in the evidence presented and extended the benefit of doubt to the accused. The court further stated that terrorism has no religion and that judgments cannot be based on morals and public perception. The Maharashtra government has been directed to provide compensation of ₹2 lakh each to the families of those killed and ₹50,000 to those injured in the incident.
Other reactions to the acquittal include Lt Col Prasad Purohit thanking the Indian Armed Forces for standing behind him for the past 17 years. Sudhakar Chaturvedi claimed that during custody, they were told to name Mohan Bhagwat and Yogi Adityanath, calling it a political case.
The court, however, noted that there was no evidence on Pragya Singh Thakur's claims of torture by ATS officials. The court stated that Thakur had availed remedies at the time, but there was no result in her favor. The suggestions given to the investigating officers pertaining to ill-treatment and torture had been denied by them.
