I’m Victim of Chidambaram’s Saffron Terrorism Bogey: Sadhvi Pragya

Eight people were killed and around 100 others injured when a blast ripped through Malegaon on 29 September 2008.

Sadhvi Pragya Thakur. (Photo: IANS)

The Bombay High Court granted bail to Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, on 25 April, while rejecting the bail plea of accused, Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit.

On Friday, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur alleged she was "falsely implicated in the case to endorse the bogey of saffron terrorism, a term coined by erstwhile Home Minister P Chidambaram."

Sadhvi has been asked by the court to furnish Rs 5 lakh as the bail amount. She will also be required to submit her passport to the NIA and appear on dates in the trial court.

There were two allegations against her. First, that her scooter was utilised in the blast, but there was evidence that the scooter had already been sold back in 2004. Second, that she participated in two meeting in Bhopal and Faridabad. No evidence was found that she was present in Faridabad, whereas during the Bhopal meeting there was no talk of conspiracy.

Shyan Devani, Sadhvi’s legal counsel

Also Read: DeQoded: The 2008 Malegaon Blasts Case

Sadhvi (44), who was granted bail by the Bombay High Court on Tuesday, was released from judicial custody after the bail formalities were completed in the afternoon.

“This was certainly a conspiracy hatched by the Congress-led UPA government, which resulted into my nine-year ordeal. It (the conspiracy) was (meant) to endorse the bogey of saffron terrorism, a term coined by P Chidambaram (former home minister). I am innocent.

Sadhvi told reporters

She said the "script of saffron terrorism" was written by the then Congress government.

"Go through the entire script of the so-called saffron terrorism. Entire story was cooked up by the Congress which implicated us," she alleged.

In reply to a question, Sadhvi said, "I was the victim of the Congress' conspiracy.

Also Read: Political Interference in the 2008 Malegaon Blasts Investigation

Sadhvi, a former ABVP office bearer, was arrested on October 2008 by the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad and was accused of hatching the conspiracy which killed around eight and injured over 100 on 29 September 2008 in Malegaon.

Purohit, who was nabbed in November that year, is said to be the brain behind the blasts. He allegedly created the explosives used in the incident.

The court had reserved its order on Purohit’s bail plea in March after the special court for NIA cases had dismissed the duo’s bail pleas.

While filing his bail plea, Purohit provided details of Abhinav Bharat Trust, which the NIA claimed was used to procure explosives for the blast, and said that it was to be registered as a political party and that other senior army officials were also informed about it.

In his bail plea, Purohit reportedly said that he was acting in discharge of his duty to gather more intelligence. “The circumstances show Abhinav Bharat was to become a political party and even a registration form for the same was found through the sources of the accused,” read the bail plea.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI.)