Witness Alleges Coercion in Malegaon Blast Case

In a significant development in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, a witness has come forward with allegations of coercion by the Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS). The witness, Milind Joshi Rao, who later turned hostile, claimed he was illegally detained and pressured to falsely implicate Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and four others associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). These individuals included RSS member Indresh Kumar, former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Hindu seer and former RSS member Swami Aseemanand, and Professor Deodhar.

Court Proceedings and Judgment

The case was presided over by special judge A K Lakhoti of a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court. In the court’s extensive judgment, spanning over 1,000 pages, it was noted that Mr. Rao testified about the pressure exerted on him by ATS officials. He alleged that he was kept in custody for a week and was told he would only be released if he named the five individuals mentioned.

Background of the Malegaon Blast

The Malegaon blast occurred on September 29, 2008, when a bomb planted on a motorcycle exploded in a busy market area, resulting in the deaths of six people. Initially investigated by the state ATS, the case was later transferred to the NIA, India’s premier anti-terror agency. Despite the severity of the incident, all seven accused, including Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, were acquitted due to a lack of reliable evidence.

Allegations of Misconduct in Investigation

Further complicating the case, former probe officer Mehboob Mujawar alleged that there were directives to arrest RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat during the investigation. He claimed there was an attempt to misdirect the probe and that false charges were filed against him for opposing these plans. According to Mr. Mujawar, there was an effort to portray the incident as “saffron terror,” targeting right-wing leaders and the Hindu community.

NIA Court’s Conclusion

The NIA court ultimately dismissed these claims. The court highlighted that while it was proven that a bomb blast occurred, there was insufficient evidence to establish who planted the explosive device on the motorcycle. The trial concluded on April 19 after starting in 2018, with 323 witnesses presented by the prosecution, 37 of whom turned hostile.