**Pragya Thakur Claims Coercion in Malegaon Blast Case After Acquittal**
In a dramatic turn of events following her acquittal by a special NIA court in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, former BJP MP Pragya Thakur has made serious allegations of coercion and torture. Thakur claims that she was pressured to name prominent figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, during her interrogation. “I have documented everything and named all those I was compelled to name. They kept insisting, ‘Name these people, and we won’t harm you.’ Their primary goal was to inflict torture on me,” she stated.
Thakur criticized the previous UPA government, asserting that the Congress party orchestrated a “false case” as part of a broader conspiracy aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the saffron movement and the armed forces. “This is a victory for Dharma. The Congress fabricated this case without any basis. They are anti-religion and support terrorism. Congress can never be a nationalist party,” she declared.
Additionally, Thakur expressed concerns about her health, claiming she did not receive adequate medical care during her detention, which has left her physically weakened. “I have become completely weak from within,” she lamented.
Seventeen years after the devastating blast in Malegaon, the special NIA court acquitted all seven accused, including Thakur and Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, citing insufficient evidence to support the allegations. Special Judge AK Lahoti emphasized that mere suspicion is not enough to proceed with a case, highlighting the prosecution’s failure to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
In the aftermath of the verdict, former Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officer Mehboob Mujawar revealed that he was instructed by Investigating Officer Param Bir Singh to arrest RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat as part of the ‘saffron terror’ narrative. “I was directed to arrest individuals like Ram Kalsangra, Sandip Dange, Dilip Patidar, and Mohan Bhagwat. It was beyond my capacity to arrest someone of his stature,” Mujawar explained.
Initially, the Maharashtra ATS had implicated the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) in the attacks. However, in 2011, the NIA took over the investigation, and by 2013, a joint chargesheet from the Maharashtra ATS and NIA named eight members of the Abhinav Bharat group.
As the case concludes, the implications of the court’s decision and the allegations made by Thakur continue to resonate, raising questions about the integrity of the investigation and the political motivations behind it.
**FAQ**
**Q: What were the main allegations made by Pragya Thakur after her acquittal?**
A: Pragya Thakur alleged that she was coerced and tortured into naming prominent political figures during her interrogation, claiming the case against her was part of a conspiracy by the Congress party.
