Pragya Thakur. (File photo)
Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Pragya Singh Thakur, who was acquitted in the Malegaon blast case, alleged on Saturday that he was tortured by the investigating officials and asked him to take the names of several people including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is the first time Pragya Thakur has made this sensational claim, which is not mentioned in the NIA’s 1036 -page judgment. The special court acquitted all the seven accused in the case.
Sadhvi Pragya Thakur appeared in the session court on Saturday to complete some formalities. Speaking to reporters outside the court, he claimed that he was tortured during interrogation. However, Special Judge AK Lahoti has rejected Pragya Thakur’s torture and abuse claims in his judgment.
‘Asked to take the name of Prime Minister Modi’
Sadhvi said that the officials asked me to take the name of Prime Minister Modi, because at that time I was living in Surat (Gujarat). There are many names like Bhagwat (clear reference to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat), but I did not name anyone, because I did not want to lie. Thakur claimed that he had given all this in writing.
Threatened to torture
He said that his purpose was to harass me. He said that if I did not take the name, they will harass me. These names include Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Sudarshan ji, Indresh ji, Ram Ji Madhav and many others, whose names I do not remember yet. The former BJP MP alleged that she was also illegally detained in the hospital, where she fainted and her lungs deteriorated.
Thakur accused of abuse
Sadhvi Pragya said that I am writing my story, in which I will write all this. The truth will be revealed. This is the victory of religion, the victory of Sanatan Dharma, the victory of Hindutva. It is a Sanatani nation, and it is always victorious. The court said in its judgment that Thakur had accused of misbehavior, but no evidence was presented in support of his claims.
It also cited the order of the 2011 Supreme Court, in which his claims of illegal custody, torture and custody were rejected. The lower court said that Thakur had not made a complaint in the Nashik court when he was produced for remand after his arrest.
No evidence of torture
Judge Lahoti said that no evidence of torture and misconduct has been brought to my cognizance and hence I am not willing to accept this argument. Meanwhile, Sadhvi said that the whole matter against her is baseless. He described the then Assistant Commissioner of Police Parambir Singh of Maharashtra Anti -Terrorism Squad (ATS) as an evil man. He alleged that Parambir Singh, (the then ATS chief) Hemant Karkare and Sukhwinder Singh tortured me and asked me to lie, but I refused.
