Malegaon suspects allege physical, mental torture against ATS

Mumbai, Nov 24 (UNI) Seven suspects in the September 29 Malegaon blast case, including key accused Pragya Singh Thakur, today levelled serious charges of physical and mental torture, against the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).

All the seven suspects, including Shamlal Sahu, Ajay Rahirkar, Sameer Kulkarni, Ramesh Upadhyay Shivnarayan Singh and Prasad Srikant Purohit--were produced before Maharashtra Control for Organised Crime Act court Judge Y D Shinde amid tight security.

On being asked about complaints against the investigating officers, Sadhvi Pragya told the court that ATS were using abusive language, showing her pornographic material, waking her up at 0200 hrs and threatening to beat her naked.

Suspended Lt Col Prasad Srikant Purohit alleged that the ATS officers were using abusive language for his wife and sister and they also threatened to keep RDX in his house and implicate his family under false charges.

The other accused also made similar allegations against the ATS officials and Judge Y D Shinde took all their statements on record.

Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian told the court that she would file a reply on all the allegations in due course of time, as the allegations were very lengthy.

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