On August 2, 2025, BJP leader Pragya Singh Thakur, recently acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, claimed that she was forced by investigators to name Prime Minister Narendra Modi during her interrogation. Speaking to the media after the court verdict, Thakur alleged that officers from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) threatened and tortured her, demanding that she implicate top political and religious figures including PM Modi, Yogi Adityanath, Mohan Bhagwat, and Ram Madhav.
According to her statement, officials told her repeatedly, “Take these names, or we will beat you.” She also claimed that she collapsed due to the physical abuse and was kept in a hospital without proper care, where her lungs were reportedly damaged due to the torture.
Court Acquits All Accused Due to Lack of Evidence
Thakur’s statement came shortly after a special NIA court acquitted all seven accused in the Malegaon blast case. The court cited insufficient and unreliable evidence as the main reason for the acquittal. The judge noted that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt, with several witnesses turning hostile and crucial testimonies being discredited.
However, Thakur’s allegations of being tortured and coerced were not included in the court’s final judgment. The judge pointed out that no formal complaints of ill-treatment were submitted during the legal proceedings, including during her remand hearings. Earlier, even the Supreme Court had dismissed similar allegations due to lack of credible proof.
Malegaon Blast: A Long and Controversial Legal Battle
The Malegaon blast, which took place in September 2008, killed six people and injured over a hundred. Thakur and six others were arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and spent years in jail awaiting trial. Over time, the case became highly politicized, with the term “saffron terror” being widely debated in the media and political circles.
Thakur spent more than eight years in prison, and her claims of torture and religious targeting have remained part of her narrative ever since. In 2019, she successfully contested the Lok Sabha elections from Bhopal, campaigning largely on the issues of religious identity and injustice.
Witnesses Also Allege Pressure and Manipulation
Thakur’s claims echo those made by some other witnesses in the case. One key witness told the court that he was pressured by ATS to falsely name political and RSS leaders like Yogi Adityanath, Indresh Kumar, and Swami Aseemanand. These statements suggested that investigators may have tried to construct a narrative implicating people connected to right-wing groups.
A former ATS officer also alleged that he was ordered to arrest RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, but he refused to comply, believing it was politically motivated.
Political Angle Raises More Questions
Thakur alleged that the entire case was orchestrated under the Congress government at the time to malign the Hindutva ideology and its followers. She accused the investigating agencies of deliberately targeting her and others associated with nationalist groups, describing the charges as part of a broader political conspiracy.
She further revealed plans to publish a detailed account of her experiences in a memoir, documenting what she described as years of injustice, physical and emotional trauma, and politically motivated persecution.
No Official Response Yet from Investigators
As of now, the Maharashtra ATS and other authorities involved in the original investigation have not responded publicly to Thakur’s allegations. The court verdict did not validate her claims, and legal experts caution that any such accusations must be supported with formal evidence.
Nonetheless, her statements have reignited debates over investigative ethics, the misuse of anti-terror laws, and the role of politics in law enforcement.
Conclusion: A Case Closed, But Questions Remain
While the court has acquitted Pragya Thakur and others in the Malegaon case due to lack of evidence, her explosive claims about coercion have raised fresh concerns about the conduct of past investigations. Whether her allegations will lead to a new inquiry remains unclear, but they have already sparked political controversy and renewed scrutiny of how terrorism cases are handled in India.
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