Malegaon blast accused Purohit: ‘Fabricated investigation was to suit political requirements’

Purohit is among the seven accused including BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur facing trial for the blast in Malegaon town on September 29, 2008, which killed six and injured over 100.

Purohit claimed that he was forcefully detained in a bungalow in Khandala after being taken from Panchmarhi, where he was posted on October 29, 2008. He said that Karkare and Singh ‘were time and again’ forcing him to give out details about his intelligence network. He also claimed that his limbs were tied and he was treated ‘worse than a prisoner of war’. He claimed that the officers were asking him to name senior right-wing leaders of RSS and VHP, Yogi Adityanath, who was then an MP from Uttar Pradesh. Purohit claimed that the torture continued till November 3, 2008.

Purohit said that he was asked to leave the bungalow and was later informed by an ATS officer that there were orders to kill him if he got out of the premises. The statement also claims that the ATS had also planted explosive material, RDX, in a co-accused’s house. He said that panchnamas were fabricated by the ATS, and witnesses too had deposed in court that they were tortured before recording false statements. Purohit also claimed that his phone was tapped illegally and the sanction to prosecute him and others under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was accorded with ‘malafide intentions’.

The statement says that filing of the chargesheet without verification has ‘harmed the reputation of the Army’, and made it vulnerable for allegations. It also claimed that national security was compromised.

The trial against seven accused is currently underway and the court will hear final arguments after the accused statements are over.