In the Malegaon blast case, accused Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit submitted his written statement to the special NIA court through his lawyer, Viral Babar. He alleged that officers from the Mumbai ATS tortured him, breaking his right knee. In his statement, Purohit detailed how ATS officers illegally interrogated him, pressuring him to name senior members of the RSS and VHP, and the then MP of Gorakhpur, Yogi Adityanath.
Purohit claimed that in August 2008, more than a month before the Malegaon explosion, the then NCP President (Sharad Pawar) made a public speech in Alibaug suggesting that not only Islamic terrorists exist but Hindu terrorists too. Lt Col Purohit remarked, 'That was the first time the term Hindu terrorism was coined. Shortly after, on September 29, 2008, the unfortunate blast occurred in Malegaon.'
'ATS Held Me in Illegal Custody'
Purohit recounts his arrest on October 29, 2008, though ATS did not officially register it. He explained his immediate transfer to a secluded bungalow in Khandala post-arrest in Mumbai, where late Hemant Karkare, then ATS chief, along with other officers like Param Bir Singh, interrogated him.
Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit said, 'Hemant Karkare and Param Bir Singh repeatedly forced me to disclose information about my intelligence network and sources that helped map activities of SIMI, ISI, and Dr. Zakir Naik. I refused to reveal anything about my sources and network, as it goes against the principles of intelligence.'
'Betrayed by My Senior'
According to Purohit, 'A military officer Colonel PK Srivastava, my senior, now retired, betrayed me and handed me over to ATS. He was the first to attack me in police custody. Following this, six constables tied me up and Param Bir Singh attacked me too. The treatment I received was worse than what any animal would endure, far worse than treatment given to a prisoner of war in an enemy country.'
'Pressured to Take Responsibility for the Malegaon Blast'
He further stated, 'Karkare, Param Bir Singh, and Colonel Srivastava insisted that I take responsibility for the Malegaon bomb blast. They pressured me to name senior RSS and VHP members, along with the then MP of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath. This ordeal continued without pause until November 3, 2008.' Purohit claimed that due to the torture, his knee was so damaged that it impeded his ability to walk. He alleged that there was also a plan to shoot him. Purohit was formally shown as arrested on November 5, 2008.
Malegaon Blast: Six Killed, 100 Injured
The special court continues to record statements of all accused charged with alleged involvement in the Malegaon blast. Based on the evidence presented by the prosecution, recordings of statements from Purohit and other accused are complete. Notably, the blast on September 29, 2008, at a busy intersection in Malegaon involved a bomb planted on a motorcycle, resulting in six deaths and injuries to 100 people.
This shocking case has captured national attention and raises critical questions about justice, legality, and the treatment of accused individuals under legal custody, adding a complex layer to the narrative under which these events transpired.
