Former Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, one of the six people who a special court in Mumbai acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast, claimed that she was tortured by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad for refusing to falsely implicate Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other leaders in the case.
The NIA court acquitted six people in the case last week, noting that the prosecution had failed to adduce cogent and reliable evidence to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
#WATCH | 2008 Malegaon blast case all accused acquitted | On her 'Forced to name PM Modi, Yogi Adityanath' claim, BJP leader Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur says, "Yes, I was forced. I didn't succumb to pressure and didn't take anyone's name, didn't falsely implicate anyone...So, I… pic.twitter.com/DcfmxYQ0Gw
— ANI (@ANI) August 3, 2025
"I have said this earlier, too, that they forced me to take the names of tall leaders. I didn't take those names; I didn't act as they wanted me to. So, they tortured me. Those names especially included Mohan Bhagwat, Ram Madhav, PM Modi, Yogi Adityanath, Indresh Kumar and other leaders,” Thakur told reporters on Sunday.
Terming former IPS officer Parambir Singh as a ‘terrible man', Thakur said he had crossed all limits in breaking the law. “He tortured me outside the framework of law. I was tortured by not just Parambir Singh but officers of the entire ATS,” the former MP said.
#WATCH | 2008 Malegaon blast case all accused acquitted | Bhopal, MP: BJP leader Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur says, "I have said this again and again that Parambir Singh is a terrible man. He crossed all limits and broke all laws. He tortured me outside the framework of law. I was… pic.twitter.com/lx9oIBGFdk
— ANI (@ANI) August 3, 2025
Thakur further alleged that the ATS had created an atmosphere of fear in the country so that nobody was able to express themselves. “It was an attempt to scare people because there was a Congress government in Maharashtra and the Centre. So, they misused all government agencies and turned them corrupt. This was done by the UPA government”
“Several people, who were tortured by ATS, lost their life. But their family doesn't know where their body is. Several were killed, but their record was scrubbed,” she added.
Hailing the court verdict, Thakur called it a slap on the face of those who called it ‘saffron terror’. She also targeted then Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan for allegedly using the word ‘Hindutva aatankwaad’.
“Maharashtra's Chavan has spoken on 'sanatana aatankwaad', 'Hindutva aatankwaad'. They are people of the same category. They are all members of Congress,” she alleged.
