A witness in the 2008 Malegaon blast case has alleged that he was coerced by officers of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) to implicate Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The witness, Milind Joshi Rao, made the allegation in his testimony to the court.
According to Rao, he was also forced to name RSS member Indresh Kumar, former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Hindu seer and former RSS member Swami Aseemanand, and Professor Deodhar in the case. Rao testified that the ATS had treated him like an accused. According to the court's verdict, "They (ATS officers) were telling him to take the names of Yogi Adityanath, Asimanand Indresh Kumar, Devdhar, Pragya and Kakaji in his statement".
Special Judge A.K. Lahoti stated that he could not rely on the witness's statement to the ATS, as the witness had submitted to the court that it was given involuntarily. The court noted that the victim's statement raises doubts regarding its admissibility and authenticity, as it was made involuntarily.
Adding to the controversy, Sadhvi Pragya, recently acquitted of terror charges in the same case, claimed that she was "tortured and forced to name Prime Minister Modi, Yogi Adityanath, Mohan Bhagwat, and others". She stated that she did not name them, as it was "a clear attempt to coerce her into lying". Thakur alleged that she was illegally detained for 13 days, with actual physical torture spanning 24 days under ATS custody. "These were not investigations; they were politically driven vendettas,” Thakur stated.
These claims have emerged in the wake of a special NIA court in Mumbai acquitting all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, including Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, citing a lack of evidence. The court observed that the prosecution had failed to adduce cogent and reliable evidence to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The ATS had alleged that the blast was orchestrated by individuals associated with the alleged right-wing extremist group Abhinav Bharat and that the motorcycle used in the explosion was registered in the name of Pragya Thakur. The ATS further alleged that the accused intended to transform India into a Hindu Rashtra named Aryavart.
Milind Joshirao was among 39 witnesses who turned hostile during the trial. He had been brought to court to help establish the motive behind the formation of Abhinav Bharat, which the ATS had accused of orchestrating the 2008 blast that killed six people and injured over 100. Instead of supporting the ATS's claims, Joshirao told the court that officers Shrirao and Param Bir Singh had threatened him with torture and coerced him into naming Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other RSS functionaries. "ATS treated me like an accused and kept me for seven days at their office," Joshirao stated. "The officers pressured me to name five RSS individuals, including Yogi Adityanath, Asimanand, Indresh Kumar, Professor Devdhar, Sadhvi, and Kakaji, in my statement. They assured me I would be released if I did so. When I refused, DCP Shrirao and Additional Commissioner of Police Param Bir Singh threatened me with torture,” Joshirao was quoted by NIA Special Judge AK Lahoti as saying. The judge further pointed out that Joshirao's statement “was written down/recorded solely by an ATS officer,” indicating that “the statement was involuntary".
The 2008 Malegaon blast case has been plagued by controversy and accusations of coercion and political interference, raising serious questions about the integrity of the investigation and the pursuit of justice.
