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In a startling revelation, a key witness in the 2008 Malegaon blast case has told a court that he was unlawfully detained and coerced into naming Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and four others associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

The explosive claim emerged in a comprehensive judgment spanning over 1,000 pages, delivered by Special Judge A.K. Lakhoti of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court. According to the verdict, witness Milind Joshi Rao testified that officials from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) pressured him to falsely implicate CM Yogi Adityanath, RSS functionary Indresh Kumar, former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Hindu seer and former RSS member Swami Aseemanand, and Professor Deodhar.

Witness Alleges Week-Long Illegal Detention by ATS

Rao further alleged that he was kept in illegal custody for an entire week by the ATS and told he would not be released unless he named the five individuals. His claims paint a troubling picture of the investigation’s early stages and raise serious concerns about the integrity of the initial probe.

The 2008 blast, which claimed six lives, took place on September 29 when a bomb planted on a motorcycle detonated in a crowded market in Malegaon, a town located nearly 300 kilometers from Mumbai. The attack sent shockwaves across the nation and was first investigated by the state ATS. However, the case was later transferred to the NIA, India’s premier counter-terror agency.

These new statements by a hostile witness add another complex layer to a case that has seen several twists over the years. As the court proceedings continue to unfold, they cast a spotlight on the methods used during the investigation and the broader implications for justice and accountability. Earlier also an Ex-ATS officer said that he was ordered to name RSS chief Bhagwat in the Malegaon Blast Case.