Then UPA govt conspired to 'defame saffron', says Malegaon blast accused

Mumbai, July 31 Sameer Kulkarni, one of the accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, on Thursday alleged that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, along with NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar and others, conspired to "defame the saffron flag" and Hindu identity to influence the 2009 general elections.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the verdict by a Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court, Kulkarni claimed the case was politically motivated and aimed at tarnishing the image of patriots and religious figures.

The Malegaon blast case, which has dragged on for 17 years, is now awaiting a judicial conclusion.

Apart from Kulkarni, BJP leader and former MP Pragya Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit are among the seven accused who faced trial. Others include Major (retired) Ramesh Upadhyay, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi, and Sudhakar Chaturvedi.

"For 17 years, we have been waiting for this day of our lives. I have full faith in the autonomous, universal and trustworthy court of independent India that it will stamp our innocent lives. The truth, which we knew from day one, the then UPA government knew it, the investigating agency knew it, is the truth. Today, the entire world will know," Kulkarni said.

Kulkarni alleged that the investigation was carried out under government pressure and said it was for the first time in independent India that patriots, religious individuals, and saints were labelled as terrorists.

"Our worship, our symbol of faith, the most sacred, holy saffron and Hindu words were defamed on the world stage by the Congress. The main accused are Sharad Pawar, Digvijaya Singh, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Shivraj Patil, Shakeel Ahmed Patel, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, who did this keeping the 2009 general elections in mind," he stated.

He also criticised the treatment of Lt Col Prasad Purohit, who was serving in the Army at the time. "They made the on-duty Army officer who served this nation an accused, they made a retired army officer a terrorist, and wasted 17 years of his life by making him a terrorist, who had performed his duty to save the lives of the people of Mumbai after the 1993 blasts," he said.

Kulkarni further alleged serious irregularities in the handling of the case. "There is so much fabrication in this case that has never been seen before. The original FIR, the affidavit, and the confession statements are missing," he claimed.

He also pointed to inconsistencies in witness testimony, stating, "The main witness of the ATS, when he gave his statement, said that he was not confident of the series of events that took place that day."

Kulkarni accused the Congress of "betraying Hindu society despite enjoying decades of power based on the support of Hindu voters".

"No one can support any bomb blast that happens on the world stage. This is a cowardly attack. These criminals should have been punished immediately. But this case was misused for politics. The taxpayer's money was wasted for 17 years. Who is responsible for this?" he asked.

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