The ATS had told my disciple to beat me: Sadhvi Pragya

Mumbai, May 14: The ATS has asked my disciple to beat me with sticks and when he refused, he was beaten up very badly. This is one of the lines in the affidavit that was filed by Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur against whom charges were dropped in the Malegaon 2008 blasts case.

Confident of walking free after charges against her were dropped here we bring to you an ordeal that the accused persons went through since the day the case was registered.

It appears that the entire case was built up on a motor cycle that belonged to Sadhvi. Incidentally this was the same motor cycle on which the bomb was planted in Malegaon.

ATS told my disciple to beat me up

After her arrest in 2008, the ATS Maharashtra under Hemanth Karkare began investigations. Sadhvi Pragya had filed an affidavit at that time narrating the manner in which she was treated.

The Affidavit states that the ATS from October 12 2008 changed their mode of interrogation and had become extremely aggressive.

"At first they asked my disciple Bhimbhai Pasricha to beat me with sticks and belts on my palms, forehands, soles, etc. When Pasricha refused to do so, he was severely beaten by the ATS. Ultimately with the greatest reluctance, he complied with the ATS orders but obviously being my disciple, he exerted minimum force on me.

He was then pushed aside by a member of the ATS squad known as Khanwilkar, who then commenced beating me severely with a belt on my hands, forearms, palms, feet, soles, causing me bruises, swelling and contusions in these areas.

From October 13 onwards, I was beaten during the day, night and midnight. On two occasions I was even woken up at 4 am in the morning and questioned about my knowledge of the blast. On these occasions, I was beaten by a senior officer having a moustache, whom I can identify.

In addition I was subjected to vulgar abuse and obscene language by members of the ATS team interrogating me. My guru was abused and my chastity was questioned. I was physically and verbally traumatised to the extent that I wanted to commit suicide."

The motor cycle

The ATS found that the bike used in the blast belonged to Sadhvi. She tried to explain to the ATS that she was not in possession of the bike for two years.

Since she was travelling most of the time, she hardly used the vehicle. In October 2004, she sold the vehicle to a person named Sunil Joshi for Rs 24,000.

She had also signed the necessary forms for transfer of the vehicle. During interrogation she was repeatedly asked how the vehicle reached Malegaon and she asserted that since October, 2004 she had no control over the vehicle or its movements and usage.

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