2008 Malegaon blast trial: Hostile witness says he was coerced by ATS to name RSS functionaries

On Thursday, another witness was declared hostile in the 2008 Malegaon blast trial becoming the 17th witness of the 226 examined to not support the prosecution case.

He said in his deposition that he was coerced by the state’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), that had recorded his statement in Nov 2008, to name RSS and its officebearers in it. He also made allegations of illegal custody and assault as part of their coercion to compel him to make such a statement. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had later taken over the probe in the case.

As per his earlier statement, he has said that he had joined the RSS while in Class 7. He had narrated how he had got acquainted with absconding accused Ramji Kalsangra in 2004-05 when he had attended a program in Indore. For those attending the program, the food arrangement was made in the home of Ramji and some of his neighbours, he had said.

As per the statement, he had also named a senior RSS functionary and professor at Pune’s Wadia College Sharad Kunte and had said that Kunte handles work of VHP as well as RSS. He had got acquainted with Kunte at an Ayurved Parishad, the statement says.

Kunte had been questioned by the ATS for allegedly giving bomb-making lessons to around 10 persons including now discharged accused in the case Rakesh Dhawade at a resort near Pune in 2003.

The witness had further said regarding himself he had managed a ‘shakha’ between 1990 and 1998. On Thursday, in court, however, he denied any connection with the RSS.

Earlier too, a witness who was declared hostile, had made similar allegations of coercion by the ATS to make him name prominent names of the RSS.

The blast had taken place on Sep 29, 2008, near a masjid in Malegaon town of Nashik district and had resulted in six deaths and injuries to over 100 persons.

Published on: Thursday, February 03, 2022, 08:25 PM IST