Malegaon case: 'NIA decision vindication of prosecutor's claim'

The Congress on Friday termed the National Investigation Agecy's decision to drop all charges against Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and five others in the 2008 Malegaon blast case as vindication of the disclosure made by former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian that "NIA was asking her to go soft on Hindu terror suspects" while the the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena welcomed the NIA move.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president and former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said today's events "prove" what Salian had said about the NIA.

"The NIA's decision of removing Sadhvi's name from the chargesheet indicates how people related to Sangh Parivar are being saved despite being involved in heinous crimes.

"It is shocking that NIA now says there is no evidence against her (Sadhvi) when an officer like Hemant Karkare, who laid down his life for the nation, had investigated the episode," Chavan said.

The Congress also claimed the central investigation agencies are under "tremendous pressure" of the BJP regime.

The BJP and Shiv Sena welcomed the NIA decision to drop all charges against Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and five others and alleged that Sadhvi and another accused Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit were "framed" in the case at the behest of Congress.

Terming Pragya Thakur and Purohit as two "respectable people", Shiv Sena demanded a monetary compensation for Sadhvi for her "false implication" by the previous government.

"We have always been saying that these two (Sadhvi and Lt Col Purohit) have been framed wrongly. The word saffron terror was first coined by (former Finance minister) P Chidambaram and stressed upon by (Nationalist Congress Party chief) Sharad Pawar. Who is to be held responsible for almost 10 years that she (sadhvi) spent behind bars? Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said.

"These two are respectable people. The Congress has been exposed today on how they used investigation agencies to defame Hindu religion. The government needs to provide monetary compensation to Sadhvi for the troubles she has gone through," she said.

BJP spokesperson Shaina N C said her party has nothing to do with the decision of the NIA.

"When Sadhvi first went to jail, there was no concrete evidence against her. She was arrested despite not having substantial proof. If the NIA has something to suggest, we have to have faith in the judiciary. Judiciary works on evidence and not on hearsay or what political parties have to say. Allegations that the BJP has to do something with the NIA's decision are absolutely false and untrue," she said.