Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, one of the accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, opened the pandora’s box in a Mumbai court on May 8. Purohit in his 23 pages statement claimed that senior officers of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had subjected him to torture and coercion, compelling him to take the blame for the explosion.
According to Purohit’s statement under Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) before the Special Court hearing cases under the National Investigation Agency Act (NIA Act), he was continuously tortured and pressured to name leaders of right-wing organizations such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), along with then Member of Parliament (MP) Yogi Adityanath.
The Army officer further alleged that he was forcefully detained in a bungalow in Khandala after being taken from Pachmarhi, where he was posted, on October 29, 2008. During his alleged detention, he claimed to have been interrogated by senior ATS officers including late Hemant Karkare, then ATS Chief, Param Bir Singh, then Joint Commissioner of ATS, Gajanan Kabdule, Police Inspector of ATS, and another individual named Kamble from the State Investigation Department (SID).
Purohit’s revelations shed new light on the controversial case, which has already seen seven accused, including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Pragya Singh Thakur, facing trial. The 2008 Malegaon blast resulted in six fatalities and left over 100 injured.
Key Points of Colonel Purohit’s Statement Made in the Court
- In his statement, Purohit said,” In 2001, I was entrusted with the responsibility to raise a specialised Counter Terror Infantry Battalion – 41 Rashtriya Rifles. I raised the battalion in Belgaum and was in charge of training of this new battalion. Later, this battalion got inducted into the active field in Kupwara, North Kashmir. In a short period of two years, we earned a coveted Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award. Upon my injury to my knee in the field while serving here in Kupwara, North Kashmir, I was transferred to Military Intelligence (The Int Corps). Since Oct 2002, I have been serving in Military Intelligence.
- In 2004, I infiltrated the Lashkar-e-Taiba module, and after six months of dedicated efforts, I neutralised all seven foreign terrorists of this group in one single operation. It is worth mentioning here that this operation, even today, is a case study in the intelligence training establishments of the Indian Army.
- My tasks in Kashmir were counter terrorism operations, counterintelligence, intelligence acquisition, fraternization and psychological operations. After a prolonged and strenuous but very successful 5 yr tenure in J&K, I joined Southern Command Liaison Unit at Deolali, having its’ Head Quarters at Pune.
- The Charter of Duties were as follows – (a) Neutralization of hostile int efforts – whether direct or through proxys. (b) Counter Intelligence. (c) Surveillance. (d) Counter subversion and Counter Sabotage. (e) Maintaining Liaison.
- Upon my joining, owing to my track record in the Army and Military Intelligence in particular, I was tasked to map SIMI (Student’s Islamic Movement of India – rechristened as Indian Mujahideen) and the presence of ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence – the Pakistani Intelligence Agency), subversive anti national activities, and likely sabotage plans in Southern Command Area of Responsibility. I was expected to complete the task in a short period of 2 years. This also included left-wing activism to include naxal activities and the unification of all these anti national elements planning nefarious activities. I developed my own strong intelligence network taking help of elements, whether individuals or organizations, from society having nationalist attitude and intents for this task and subsequent int gathering.
- During the same period, I initiated reports regarding fugitive and proclaimed underworld criminal, antinational and known ISI agent Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar and his meeting with proclaimed fugitive, Central Committee senior leader of banned CPIML, Dr Ganapati. The meeting was to streamline the arms, ammunition, war like stores and drug supply from ISI, Pakistan to Left Wing Extremists and Naxalites in Dandakaranya Special Committee Zone operating in entire Penninsular India especially after these supplies stopped getting into India from Nepal. Second such report in 2006 – 2007 was regarding now proclaimed fugitive Dr Zhakir Naik, the founder of Islamic Research Foundation and his subversive activities all along the Indian Western Coast, illegal fund raising and funding of terror organizations on behalf of ISI of Pakistan. Another report was regarding the fake currency racket operating in South India. I had also initiated a detailed report after critically analyzing spread of Naxalism and Left-Wing Extremism spreading from Eastern Maharashtra to Western Maharashtra all along Maharashtra – Madhya Pradesh Border, Thane and Palghar area becoming the pivot and its’ further growth all along coast line towards South and North. All these and other such reports had the mention of few national and regional politicians having connections with these elements.
- It is during this time and due to my expertise, that I was invited for training of ATS officers and their cadres in 2005 – 2006. The invitation for training was extended in writing by ATS Commissioner, Mr. K.P.S. Raghuvanshi. Later in 2006 – 2007, I was invited by Nashik Police Commissioner, Late Mr. Himanshu Roy, to train Nashik Police.
- I was detailed to undergo a course in Arabic language at Panchmari in Madhya Pradesh at AEC training College and Center while remaining posted with Southern Command Liaison Unit in year 2007.
Suspicious Arrest
Much before, 26/11 Mumbai attack, the term Hindu terror was used by the Congress President Smt Sonia Gandhi.
From Panchmarhi to Mumbai, the dramatic arrest of Col Purohit and subsequent torture raise many questions about the due process. Col. Prohit gives a detailed account of the sequence of events in his statement to the court.
- It is worth mentioning here that in the month of Aug 2008, out of nowhere, the President of the National Congress Party at a rally of party workers at Alibaug made a statement that it is not just that there are Islamic terrorists, but there are Hindu terrorists also. This is the first time the term ‘Hindu Terror’ was coined. This soothsaying statement was immediately followed by the unfortunate incident on September 29, 2008.”
- Much before, 26/11 Mumbai attack, the term Hindu terror was used by the Congress President Smt Sonia Gandhi. From Panchmarhi to Mumbai, the dramatic arrest of Col Purohit and subsequent torture raise many questions about the due process. Col. Prohit gives a detailed account of the sequence of events in his statement to the court.
- In the last week of October 2008, Col R.K.Shrivastav (Now retired), the then Director Military Intelligence – 9 from Army Head Quarters came to Panchmarhi to interact with all Military Intelligence Corps officers undergoing various language courses and particularly with me. On the very first interaction I was told that as per the claimed orders of Army Head Quarter I was ordered to surrender my phone to Col R.K.Shrivastav.
- On October 29, 2008, at around 9.00 a.m. I was called by the adjutant, Lt Col (now Col) G.C. Mohanta of AEC Training College and Center, Panchmarhi. I was handed over with the movement order directing me to proceed on temporary duty to Delhi to interact with Director MI – 20, directorate of Military Intelligence, at Army Head Quarters.
Me and my family members were under the impression that I was proceeding to Delhi. I was made to travel with Col Shrivastav by taxi to Bhopal. Upon reaching Bhopal airport, Col Shrivastav at the last moment informed me to board flight for Mumbai and not Delhi. - Upon reaching Mumbai, at the very gates of arrival at the airport, I was taken over by ATS personnel’s and IB officers were also present namely Sanjay Garg and I was bundled off forcefully in a white Sumo to an isolated bungalow in Khandala. The questioning started almost immediately. For first around 2 hours, the enquiries regarding personal details and background were done. Karkare and Param Bir Singh were time and again forcing me to give out the details of my intelligence network and list of my sources and assets who had assisted me in mapping SIMI and ISI and Dr Zakir Naik’s activities. I refused to divulge my source network as it is against the basic ethos of Intelligence. Upon my refusal to divulge the information, Col Shrivastav was the first one to spring from his chair and attack me brutally, instantly joined by Param Bir Singh.
- Mr. Karkare, Mr. Param Bir Singh and Col Shrivastav continued insisting that I should own up the Malegaon Bomb Blast and that I should name senior right-wing leaders of RSS and VHP, Yogi Adityanath, the then Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh. This torture continued incessantly till Nov 2008.
- In the morning of October 30 and onwards, the news channels started claiming that the Mumbai ATS has cracked the Malegaon Bomb Blast Case and Lt Col Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya and others had carried out the blast. They were also naming a few more Army Officers. Herein after, at regular intervals, ATS started leaking false information to media houses. All these things were happening when not even the investigation had commenced, nor was I arrested officially.Col Purohit explained the brutalities and torture he had to undergo during this ‘illegal detention’. He claims in the statement that Senior officers namely Brig Raj Kumar of Military Intelligence have deposed in Court of Inquiry that Col Shrivastav was not authorized to carry out any actions as mentioned here. Col Purohit also claims, “The medical certificate of fitness during my arrest is fake and fabricated. The officer who claimed to have handed over my custody to ATS was not authorized to do so. Handing over my custody to ATS itself is illegal”.
Citing the statement on the entire investigation by senior IO Mohan Kulkarni, Col Purohit argues that the case is completely devoid of investigation, but a part of nefarious design of fabrication to harm the national interest with an aim to destroy actively effective Military Intelligence network of which I was a part and to provide safe haven to anti-national elements to thrive.
While explaining the repercussions of this case on Bharat’s counter-terrorism policy vis-à-vis Pakistan, Col Purohit explained, “Filing of chargesheet without verification as mentioned above has harmed reputation of the Army and has made vulnerable for allegations from the fifth columnists and the enemy country. Pakistan left no opportunity to equate the Indian Army – the finest in the world with the rouge Army of their own country”.
He further stated that, “Rather than carrying out the investigation in a professional manner and to solve the case, the ATS resorted to keep the investigation limited suiting their ulterior motives to implicate me in this case to destroy the Intelligence apparatus operating in Southern Command of which I was part and keep all those facts buried which would at any case would not have allowed whether the ATS or NIA to implicate me as an accused in this case”. He accused the Maharashtra ATS of ‘compromising the Intelligence agencies and the assets damaging the National security’ due to their non-cautious approach in the investigation of the sensitive case.
Col Purohit pleaded in the conclusion of his long statement that, in the absence of sanction under 197(2) the prosecution against me is illegal and unconstitutional. He claimed that the entire investigation is nothing but the fabrication, concoction, and orchestration of falsehoods converted into a charge sheet.
During the election season, when Congress is trying to bring back the ‘Hindu-Terror’ theory, especially targeting the candidature of Adv Ujjwal Nikam, this statement on oath by Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit is going to create ripples in the political circles about the sinister plot of absolving Pakistan supported terror networks and framing Hindu leaders with the terror charges.
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