Pragya Thakur's SHOCKING claim on Malegaon blast case, says, 'was forced to take names of...'

In a shocking claim, former BJP MP Pragya Thakur has alleged that investigators probing the 2008 Malegaon blast case tried to pressure her to take the names of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, and others. 

"They made me name several people, including (senior BJP leader) Ram Madhav. To do all of this, they tortured me. My lungs gave up, I was detained in the hospital illegally. All of this will be part of the story I am writing, but the truth cannot be hidden. I lived in Gujarat, so they also asked me to take Prime Minister Modi's name. I did not take anyone's name because they were attempting to make me lie", Thakur said, as quoted by NDTV. 

"They said 'take these names and we won't beat you'," she added, as cited by the outlet.

A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court acquitted Thakur, Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit, and five others in the case on Thursday, i.e., July 31. The former MP's claim comes on the heels of the judgment in the case, revealing that a witness who had turned hostile had also claimed that he was coerced into naming UP CM Adityanath and four others associated with the RSS -- the ideological parent organisation of the BJP. 

Moreover, Mehboob Mujawar, a former Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) member, had also claimed that senior officials in the squad had directed him to arrest RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat -- a request he allegedly turned down. Although the court had rejected these allegations, Mujawar reiterated his claim on Friday, alleging that the objective behind the order given by his seniors was to make it appear like a "saffron terror case".

Malegaon Blast Case 

The Malegaon blast incident dates back to September 29, 2008, when an explosive device connected to a motorcycle exploded near a mosque in Maharashtra's Malegaon, killing six people and injuring over 100. Acquitting Pragya Thakur and others in the case, Special Judge AK Lahoti said the prosecution had been unable to prove the allegations against the accused, who deserved to be given the benefit of doubt.