Pragya Thakur Alleges Custodial Torture After Malegaon Blast Acquittal
A day after her acquittal in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur alleged she was subjected to severe custodial torture by police. In her first public statement, she claimed investigators pressured her to falsely implicate senior RSS and BJP figures, including UP CM Yogi Adityanath and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Thakur described the case as fabricated and politically motivated, vowing to seek punishment for the officials involved, reigniting controversy over the investigation and the term "saffron terror".
Unpacked:
The court acquitted all seven accused because the prosecution failed to provide reliable and legally acceptable evidence. The judgment cited inconsistencies and contradictions in witness testimonies and procedural lapses, such as problematic sanctioning for prosecution and questionable search and arrest procedures, which undermined the credibility of the case and failed to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
The 2008 Malegaon blast occurred on September 29, 2008, when a bomb strapped to a motorcycle exploded near a mosque in Malegaon, Maharashtra, killing six and injuring over 100. The case was significant due to its communal implications and because it was one of the first major terror investigations alleging involvement of Hindu extremist groups, leading to the controversial use of the term "saffron terror."
Pragya Singh Thakur has alleged severe custodial torture by police and investigators, including pressure to implicate senior RSS and BJP leaders. While her claims have been publicly stated and supported by family members, there is no evidence from recent sources that these specific allegations have been independently investigated or led to legal proceedings against the officials involved.
The verdict has reignited debate about the term "saffron terror" and the integrity of terror investigations involving Hindu nationalist groups. Supporters of the accused see the acquittal as vindication and allege political motivation behind the case, while critics argue that the acquittal may discourage thorough investigation of extremist violence across all communities.