'Explosive-Laden Truck Was Roaming Without Check For Around 10-12 Days': Satya Pal Malik To Rahul Gandhi On Pulwama Attack

Former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik made explosive claims on the 2019 Pulwama attack during his interview with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. He said that the driver and the owner of the explosive-laden that attacked the CRPF vehicle had terrorist records, and they were arrested and released multiple times.

Gandhi shared posted a video of the interview on his YouTube channel on Wednesday. During the interview, Satya Pal Malik discussed range of topics including the Adani issue, the Pulwama attack and the MSP promise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He blamed the Modi government for the security lapses for the Pulwama attack that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel, leaving the country in shock.

"I told two channels that it was our fault but I was asked to not say this anywhere...I thought my statements might impact the investigation, but there was no investigation. It was used for the purpose of election. On the third day, PM Modi gave his speech where he used it politically," Satya Pal Malik said.

CRPF personnel took unsafe road after being denied of aircraft

"Why did the Pulwama incident happen? They had asked for five aircraft. Had he asked me, I would have given those right away. I provided aircraft to students stuck in the snow. It is easy to get aircraft on rent in Delhi. But their application was lying for four months in the home ministry. And then it was rejected. The CRPF personnel then took the road which was known to be unsafe," the former governor said in the interview.

'Explosives sent from Pakistan'

He went on to say that the owner and the driver of the vehicle that was used for the attack were not on the radar of the intelligence.

“The explosive-laden truck that attacked the CRPF vehicle was roaming in the area for around 10-12 days…the explosives were sent from Pakistan. The driver and the owner of the vehicle had terrorist records. They were arrested and then released several times. But they were not on the radar of the intelligence,” Satya Pal Malik said.