Ramesh Upadhyay, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, Yesterday (May 14th) claimed that he was implicated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) due to the then United Progressive Alliance government’s pressure to “justify their Hindu terror theory”.
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Maharashtra: Ramesh Upadhyay, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, made a significant claim on Tuesday, alleging that he was wrongfully implicated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) due to political pressure from the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
According to Upadhyay, this pressure was aimed at justifying the UPA’s “Hindu terror theory.”
In a statement submitted before the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court, Upadhyay maintained his innocence, stating unequivocally,
“I am an innocent accused, falsely framed in this case by the Anti Terrorism Squad, Mumbai, due to political pressure exerted upon them by the UPA governments at the Centre & the state to somehow justify their Hindu terror theory.”
He detailed the alleged physical and psychological torture he endured, claiming the ATS not only tortured him physically but also harassed him mentally during “illegal custody.”
Elaborating on the psychological pressure, Upadhyay alleged,
“Psychological pressure was also mounted upon me by threatening my house owner as to why he was sheltering a terrorist by renting out his bungalow. I was threatened that my wife will be paraded naked, my unmarried daughter would be raped, son’s jaw would be broken.”
He asserted that when he refused to confess or implicate others, he was arrested on Diwali night and presented before a judicial magistrate in Nashik, where he showed his torture marks, agreed to cooperate with the investigation, and consented to a narco-analysis to prove his innocence.
Upadhyay further claimed,
“Polygraph tests and narco analysis reports exonerated me of any involvement in this case. As they gave me a clean chit, ATS did not produce these reports in this court.”
He emphasized the lack of evidence against him in the charge sheets or the statements of the witnesses.
Reflecting on his ordeal, he stated,
“I have suffered immense pain physically, mentally, financially, socially and my family life has been ruined. The culprits who framed me in this false case should be proceeded against as per law. I further pray that I be honourably acquitted of all charges in the interest of justice.”
The trial of the 2008 Malegaon blast case is nearing its conclusion, with the special NIA court recording the final statements of the accused under section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. This provision allows an accused to explain any circumstances related to the allegations against them.
The 2008 Malegaon blast resulted in the tragic deaths of six people and left over 100 injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon, a town located approximately 200 km from Mumbai. Initially investigated by the Maharashtra ATS, the case was later transferred to the NIA for further investigation.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on 2008 Malegaon blast
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