Mumbai, July 31: Former Member of Parliament Sadhvi Pragya expressed her relief and joy on Thursday after being acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai. The court cleared all charges against her and six others, bringing an end to a legal battle that spanned 17 years.
Reacting to the verdict, Pragya stated, “Bhagwa and Hindutva have triumphed today. Those truly responsible for the blasts will be punished, if not by law, then by God.” Visibly emotional and in tears, she thanked Special Judge Abhay Lohoti, saying, “They tried to tarnish the image of 'Bhagwa' through a conspiracy, but today the truth has prevailed. I thank you, sir, for restoring faith in justice.”
The Malegaon blasts, which occurred in 2008, killed six people and injured 95 others. Initially investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the case was handed over to the NIA in 2011. After years of legal proceedings, examination of hundreds of witnesses, and a lengthy trial, the special NIA court acquitted all seven accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Arms Act, and related charges.
Detailing how she was “tortured” during the investigation, the former MP reiterated what she earlier about pressure on the investigation to frame the accused.
“I said this from very beginning that those who are called for investigation there should be basis behind that. I was called by them for investigation and was arrested and tortured. This ruined my whole life. I was living a sage’s life but I was made and accused and no one was willingly standing beside us. I am alive because I am a sanyasi, I am living my life with dying every day,” she said.
While in the court, the former MP was allowed to sit in the witness box instead of the accused box due to her health condition. Another acquitted, Major (retd) Ramesh Upadhyay expressed relief over the verdict and also alleged “physical, mental and financial” torture.
“We sufffered all kinds of torture including physical, mental and financial tortures. We willingly gave narco tests but that was not relied upon as it didn’t suit the prosecution’s case. I am happy that the court gave us relief. My husband, wife and son were called some wife and daughter of terrorist but I am thankful that that stigma will go from our lives,” he said.
Lt Colonel Parasad Purohit, also thanked the court for restoring his faith in the justice system.
“I thank you for restoring the faith of the common man in the system again. In life of a nation individual lives don’t matter ,it’s the nation which matters ultimately,” he said.
“I thank you for giving me a chance to serve my nation and my organisation with the same conviction which I was doing before me being framed in this matter . I don’t blame any organisation for all this . Organisations like investigating agencies are not wrong but people inside the organisations are the ones who have done wrong,” he added.
The court has also ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter of planting of explosives in the house of accused Sudhakar Chaturvedi. Sameer Kulkarni too, another acquitted, requested permission to chant slogans but was denied by the court. Security had been heightened around the NIA court before the verdict. On September 29, 2008, six people were killed and 95 others injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon City's Bhikku Chowk. Originally, 11 people were accused in the case; however, the court ultimately framed charges against 7, including former MP Sadhvi Pragya.
(With ANI inputs)
