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MUMBAI
Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit, alleged to be the main conspirator in the Malegaon bomb blast case, is said to have told witnesses, including some in the Defence forces, that his fundraising, arranging logistics for the attack and drafting a constitution for the extremist outfit “Abhinav Bharat” were all part of a covert Military Intelligence (MI) operation to fight terrorism.The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chargesheet in the case filed yesterday alleges that Purohit gave an impression to witnesses that he was “conducting some covert MI operation and penetrating into some Right-wing organisation”. Purohit, who was arrested on November 5, for his alleged involvement in the bombings, served in MI from 2005 to early 2008 and was posted in Nashik and Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh.
In one instance, the chargesheet alleges that an unnamed witness, who is a serving officer from the Army Education Corps in Pachmarhi, has told the ATS that he was introduced to Purohit at an official dinner at the officers mess of AEC Training College in December 2007 by a senior colleague. The witness told Purohit that he wanted to set up an old-age home and school after retirement and Purohit offered to help him through his contacts and invited him to Delhi.
The witness allegedly took up the invitation and went to Delhi from where he was taken to Faridabad where the first meeting of Abhinav Bharat was underway. “Lt. Col. was talking about overground forum and also underground forum must be created. Later on, when I asked Lt. Col. Purohit about that he told that it was part of some covert MI operations and I need not know more than that,” the chargesheet quotes the unnamed AEC officer as saying. The ATS alleges that this was the meeting where Purohit took responsibility of providing explosives for the blast.
Purohit, the chargesheet alleges, called the AEC officer to a meeting in Kolkata in February 2008 saying he wanted to discuss the school project. There, the officer was introduced to Swami Asimanand from Gujarat, Abhinav Bharat founder Himani Savarkar and a man named Tapan Ghosh. The witness, according to the chargesheet, recalled that Ghosh and Purohit discussed the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh.
They also allegedly discussed training youth and when Ghosh asked about arms training, Purohit said that he would consider it and organise it after asking his superiors. When the witness claimed that he confronted Purohit when he returned to Panchmarhi, Purohit allegedly explained that it was a “covert operation under the direction of superiors to fight terrorism”.
Meanwhile, although the ATS has not booked Himani Savarkar, president of Abhinav Bharat and the Hindu Mahasabha, a statement by Savarkar that’s part of the chargesheet alleges that she had attended one of the organisation’s meetings in Bhopal in April last year. However, she walked out as she did not favour violence, she is believed to have said.
Savarkar, daughter-in-law of revolutionary freedom fighter Veer Savarkar, has told the ATS that the conspiracy of the Malegaon blast was hatched during a meeting on April 10-11 last year. Savarkar claims that Sadhvi Pragyasingh Thakur, Prasad Purohit, Sameer Kulkarni and others arrested for the blast, were present at the meeting.
In her statement, Savarkar says the location of Malegaon was decided during the meeting. Calling Purohit the main planner, Savarkar says that the Sadhvi was confident of recruiting “her men” for the job. However, Savarkar also claims that she had walked out as she did not agree with the violent path chosen by the group. Her statement also says that she did not know what was decided after she left. Asked why Savarkar is not wanted in the case since she allegedly knew about the conspiracy, acting ATS chief K P Raghuvanshi said: “She has not been made an accused primarily because she has not attended several subsequent meetings.”
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All these people who have commented seem to be the disciples of Purohit. Their role should be researched. Their words are full of anti-secular, anti-minority, anti-human hate.
Very well said , Raj. Indeed, you think you are the only fellow who knows the meaning of secularism, is it? Do please call us the disciples of Purohit--we all shall wear that as a decoration.And you should be ashamed of yourself , for letting down the motherland where you were born, or is it that you are a foreigner-- a Pakistani?
Malegaon probe is the final nail in the coffin of congress and other pseudo-secular opportunists. Whatever happens to Capt. Purohit, he will be remembered along with great Chandrasekhar Azad, Bhagat singh, Savarkar, Bose and others who ended foreign rule. This same congress also called them as terrorists then! Only difference was that both of them were fighting for the same cause. Patriots like Bhagat singh were hanged but opportunists like Nehru divided India and established their family rule, still continuing. This time Capt. Purohit will be remembered for showing how virulent and dangerous these pseudo secular politicians and foreign funded media are. Finally Hindus will awake and kick out all traitors from the corriodors of power. We still have democracy, and hindus are still in majority inspite of congress efforts to reduce their strength by importing vote bank from Bangladesh, encouraging conversions to christinity and restricting family planning only to hindus.
First of all Purohit is not a Captain, he is Lt.Colonel. Thhis shows how much knowledge you have about this issue. Terrorism commited by a Hindu or a Muslim can never be condoned, whatever be the aim.You must remember India is not a Hindu country it is a secular country. Will you please try to amen the constitution and make it a Hindu country, if you are so patiotic.
First of all Purohit is not a Captain, he is a Lt.Colonel. This shows how much knowledge you have.
i only wonder.....only 5 people died in malegao....an this much hype............but about 180 died in mumbai.........an this congress doing nothing??..............this congress party is really secular.......................i would not vote for this SO CALLED SECULAR PARTY AGAIN
Even when the case was being investigated, the press has been giving fragmented and often contradictory reports quoting 'reliable source '. And these news items have given enough fodder to so called 'secular' politicians and even Pak ministers to shift the focus away from cross border terrorism. Since a 'serving' Army officer was handed over to a state level security agency, Government should have been more discreet and responsible in the process of investigations. And for obvious reasons the government let the press and politicians 'talk whatever' to earn electoral brownie points.
Sir, BJP had long used the name of Savarkar to hide their nasty deeds, but now his daughter has correctly revealed the facts related to Purohit and his gang. This is the same gang whom BJP leaders protected and they accused late Hemant Karkare and his officers for going against Hindu's. But the fact remains that neither Hemant Karkare or his officers were going against Hindu's or muslims, but they were doing their duty to catch terrorists.Instead of praising the efforts of Hemant Karkare and other officers from the ANTI TERROR SQUAD, the BJP instead wanted to narco test them.Terrorism is a cancer or AIDS like pest and it has to be fought in every corner of the world.
GOOD; WE HAD ATLEAST ONE PERSON WITH GUTS. SALUTING LT.COL.PUROHIT.
I agree with you made.Purohit is a patriot, a true nationalist who hates islamic terror. We need more guys like him. Why is it that these guys are booked under MCOCA and the islamic militants charged under normal laws?This is naked bias and pseudo-secularism. We all guys must join hands and provide best legal defence for these nationalists. If i was a lawyer, i would have defended them without charging a penny.
How the Indian hindus take care of fellow hindus is very well known..Look at france is any Hindu fighting for their fellow sikhs in france. NO! Not even the government with a Sikh PM.Now we send our own force to fight against our own people Tamils in 1987 and now we don't even help themThen the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh and Pakistan and the genocide in Kashmir by Muslims.The repeated genocides by tipu sultan, Babur rather the Muslims from arab we have forgotten everything but we remember GODHRA.
Please don't burden your small brain with such heavy matters. Please forgive and forget ...
What the police do not realise is that thye are walking on slippery grounds. The fact does remain that intelligence
What a vague reason for not arresting savarkar when she attended and knew the plan why did she not inform the police it is a strong case against her. Imagine a muslim youth saying the same thing that he knew about terror plans and the police will kill him. What a bias in the indian law.
By the same scale almost all Maulvis and Imams need to be arrested for preaching separatism and expressing loyalty to outsiders like PLO, Saudi, Iran and ISI! And causing public tension on every fridays! What about arresting all guys in Madrasas the breeding ground of separatism/terrorism?
whats the problem, if two friend talk on these lines and later, one parts of because he does not agree with the fact, r u going to apprehend him? in this country politicians, commoners, religious gurus/ maulvais and so called torch bearers of our society have lied on oath in the court/ in parliament and nothing happens to them. Why do u think that she has been let off so cheaply....
whats the problem, if two friend talk on these lines and later, one parts of because he does not agree with the fact, r u going to apprehend him? in this country politicians, commoners, religious gurus/ maulvais and so called torch bearers of our society have lied on oath in the court/ in parliament and nothing happens to them. Why do u think that she has been let off so cheaply....