One more witness turns hostile in 2008 Malegaon blast case
Another witness turns hostile in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, claiming he was assaulted and threatened to give a statement against Lt Col Prasad Purohit.
MUMBAI: The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Wednesday declared one more prosecution witness hostile in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case. He is the 33rd witness to turn hostile in the case.
The witness, a former Army official, told the court that he was assaulted by the officials of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), who threatened to kill him if he refused to give a statement against Lt Col Prasad Purohit as directed by them, while probing the blast case. He claimed that he was made to give a statement at gunpoint by the ATS.
The official had also filed a complaint with the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission against the ATS officials for forcing him to give a statement at gunpoint.
Earlier, the witness was also questioned by the NIA, when it took over the probe in 2011.
In his statement to the agency, the ex-serviceman claimed that in March 2000 he was commissioned as lieutenant and served in Kashmir, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh from March 2000 to March 2005. In March 2005, after completion of five years of short service commission (SSC), he left the Army as captain.
After leaving the Army, the witness joined Bhonsala Military School in Nashik as chief administration and training officer and served till December 2008. It was here he met Purohit. He claimed that Purohit had introduced him to Abhinav Bharat and he attended several meetings and training programmes.
The witness had claimed that the organisation had held several arms training camps where youths were trained in ancient weapons and other tricks. The witness in his statement to NIA had also confirmed that he was assaulted and manhandled by the ATS.
The witness in his statement to the NIA had also claimed that he was forced to state that Purohit gave him three weapons and ammunition to be kept in his house for a month in 2006. He claimed that he was forced to state that he saw RDX at Purohit’s house in a green sack at Devlali. Besides, he was forced to state that Purohit had confessed to him about having supplied RDX for Samjhauta Express blast and having conspired to execute Malegaon blasts, the witness had claimed.