Mumbai, May 13: In a complete U-turn, the NIA today dropped all charges against Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and five others in the 2008 Malegaon blast case while charges under the stringent MCOCA law have been given up against all the other 10 accused including Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit.
During investigation, "sufficient evidences have not been found against" Pragya Singh Thakur and five others, the NIA said, adding it has submitted in the chargesheet "that the prosecution against them is not maintainable".
There have been a lot of twists and turns in the probe into the Malegaon blast which was described as a handiwork of people associated with Hindu right wing groups.
The case was investigated initially by Joint Commissioner of Mumbai's ATS Hemant Karkare who was killed during the 26/11 Mumbai attack. Before the NIA took over the case in 2011, ATS had booked 16 people but filed charge sheets on January 20, 2009 and April 21, 2011 against 14 accused in a Mumbai court.
Purohit and Pragya had moved several applications before Bombay High Court and Supreme Court challenging the charge sheet and applicability of stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the case.
Shiv Narayan Kalsangra, Shyam Bhavarlal Sahu, Praveen Takkalki, Lokesh Sharma and Dhan Singh Choudhury are the other five accused against whom charges have been dropped besides Sadhvi.
The agency also said during investigation that it has been established that no offence is attracted in this case under the Maharashtra Control of Crimes Act (MCOCA), in which any statement given before a SP level officer is admissible as an evidence.
"In furtherance of same, the confessional statements recorded under provisions of MCOC Act by ATS Mumbai have not been relied up on by the NIA in submitting the present Final report," the agency said in its chargesheet.
Lt Col Purohit and nine others will now be tried for charges including murder and conspiracy under the provisions of anti-terror law UAPA, IPC, Arms Act and Explosives Substance Act.
Director General of NIA Sharad Kumar told reporters today there was no dilution in the case.
Asked about the stand taken by the agency in the past when it had opposed the bail plea of Sadhvi and others even in the Supreme Court, he said "till our investigation was not complete, we had to go by the probe done by the ATS. Now that we have completed the investigations, we have submitted our final report (chargesheet)".
The chargesheet was today submitted by public prosecutor Geeta Godambe before Special Judge S D Tekale here.
Special Public Prosecutor in the case Avinash Rasal said he was not informed about the filing of the chargesheet (by the NIA). "I am hurt and I may resign from the case", Rasal said.
The Congress attacked the NIA decision to drop charges against Sadhvi Praygya and five others besides diluting the case against Lt Col and nine other accused.
Senior leader Digvijay Singh said "as I had predicted BJP and RSS have started the process of saving the Sangh Activists involved in Terror Cases."
"Was the DG of NIA given extension for this?" he asked.
Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju dismissed the allegation saying government does not interfere in the investigation by the agencies. "We allow agencies to work independently," he said.
Also Read : Modi govt pressurizing me to go 'soft' on saffron terrorists: Rohini Salian
Comments
Its expected!! nothing new in this!! even the time Gandhiji killed, if RSS backed Government was there, its sure Godse never hanged!!
Why so late..... It was already expected... Chota rajan also will get clean chit soon.... Ha haa....
More than these anti national sangheez everyday innocent muslims are released from terror cases but after 10 years only......
Aisa desh hai meraa.....
Vijay divas for Terrorists. Nagpur is celebrating the Vijay divas.
People lost hopes on NIA also, nothing left.
EXPECTEC
EXPECTED
Good decision ... Khangrace which licks boots of one anti national community fixed nationalist Indians in false terror cases ... welcome back sister ... Jai sri ram ... Bholo bharath mata ki jai ... hara hara modi .. jai jai modi ... she must be invited to address Hindu samajostava in DK and udupi to instill partiotism among nationalist Indian youth ..
All the Criminals will come out freely as innocent, as we all know its BJP s rule , I just Pray to God Almighty please punish the real criminals in this life and hereafter. Ameen. This life is jail for believers and paradise for disbelievers. let them enjoy. When law of the land will not take it course sincerely then the law of almighty shall prevail. Allah will take care of them.
people only cry n blame others for vote, wht hapnd to Ram Mandir ,Article 370, Uni civil code, Sadhvi Pragya, Col Putohit, NIT Kashmir
Sending Innocent Sadhvi pragya and col purohit to Jail to defame Hindus for Minorities votebank. congress must go out of india,
sadhvi pragya was in jail from many year without any charge framed...tell few words from ur muslim mouth...
From fabricating terror charges against sadhvi pragya and col purohit to coining word saffron terrorism only terrorSonia is responsible
When Col. Purohit and Sadhvi Pragya are cleared. Hoping @BDUTT 's program carries -COURT CLEARS TWO HINDUS
Just saying she seems ok with the kind of torture sadhvi pragya undergone!
Terrorists became heroes and heroes became criminals. Ishrat became a martyr. Col Purohit & Sadhvi Pragya became villains. Crimes Of SoniaGandhi.
Cleanchit by NIA to SadhviPragya in Malegaon, MCOCA dropped; U turn by NIA to derail SanghTerror investigation on Modi's order
Sadhvi Pragya is GUILTY Of being a Hindu preacher. In secular India, that calls for the death penalty.
who knows, was that a false case? or now they are being given leeway..just like during congress regime sajan kumar was given clean chit in 84 riots...first Gujarat IPS pandya was released in isharat jahan case....nobody is saint in politics and every govt uses the power as they feel
satyamev jayate out of the jihadi trap to defame hindu saints
jihadi trap was set by congress,, MAOwadi left and enjoyed by muslim parties like amim, sp, rjd, tmc, jdu, dmk, udf, cpi, cpim,for DIVIDE AND RULE ON HINDUS on cast and languages but uniting jihadis and radicals as one.
So NIA wasn't a puppet for 8 years it kept Sadhvi Pragya in custody when they had no proof to even chargesheet her. But now it is?
MCOCA charges to be dropped for Sadhvi Pragya & Col Purohit after 8 long yrs of jail without chargesheet. Who to punish for their suffering?
muslims charged for Mumbai blasts were released..how all d prostitutes,left-libs who r now crying foul over Sadhvi Pragya,celebrated!!
Incarcerated for 8+yrs without a chargesheet. Tortured by cops.Cancer stricken.If this is not a miscarriage of justice, what else is?
Finally Truth came out, hindus can never be a terror.
HinduTerrorSham confirmed. NIA cleanchit to Sadhvi Pragya. Karkare probe was fudged. Col.Purohit falsely charged.
GOOD DECISION BY OUR HONORABLE COURT. SATYAMEVA JAYATHE..
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