Retired law enforcement official asserts that superior officers instructed him to apprehend the head of RSS.
In a shocking turn of events, retired police officer Mehboob Mujawar has accused former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh and his seniors in the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of asking him to arrest Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat during the investigation of the 2008 Malegaon blast case. Mujawar claims this was an attempt to bolster the "saffron terror" narrative.
According to Mujawar, he was also directed to arrest Ramchandra Kalsangra and Sandeep Dange, who are wanted in the case. Both Kalsangra and Dange have been at large since 2008. However, Param Bir Singh has denied these allegations, calling Mujawar a disgraced policeman who is being opportunistic.
The Malegaon blast case, which resulted in the death of six people, was acquitted by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court. The case initially was investigated by the Maharashtra ATS before being taken over by the NIA. Despite the controversy, a special NIA court acquitted all the accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Thakur, citing insufficient evidence.
Mujawar was reportedly involved in the investigation due to a recommendation from the then Solapur superintendent of police to help with detection. However, he claims that the order to arrest Mohan Bhagwat was issued orally and there was no written communication. He also stated that he was asked to show that Kalsangra and Dange, who were killed by ATS officers, were still alive.
Ramchandra Kalsangra and Sandeep Dange were aides of Thakur and had allegedly planted the bomb on the motorcycle parked outside the mosque in Malegaon, according to the ATS. Shivnarayan Kalsangra, brother of Ramchandra Kalsangra, stated that they have no information about them since their detention by the Maharashtra ATS on October 10, 2008. Shivnarayan Kalsangra was arrested in the Malegaon bomb blast case but was later discharged. He now works as a real estate agent in Indore.
The NIA has issued red corner notices against the duo and declared a ₹10 lakh reward for information relating to them. Mujawar claims he was implicated in these cases after refusing to obey Param Bir Singh's instructions. It is important to note that Mujawar was booked under the Arms Act and accused of having disproportionate assets.
In his statement before the NIA, Mujawar sought a probe into the post-mortem reports of 26/11 victims and suggested obtaining DNA samples for verification. However, Param Bir Singh added that Mujawar never participated in the investigation and was involved in some criminal activities, resulting in an offence being registered against him in Solapur.
This allegation by Mujawar has stirred up a new round of controversy, with many questioning the integrity of the investigation and the role of senior officials in the Malegaon blast case. The NIA has yet to comment on Mujawar's claims.
- The revelation from retired police officer Mehboob Mujawar about senior officials in India's Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, hints at potential involvement of Indian politics in the Malegaon blast case investigation.
- As technology advances, DNA samples could potentially provide a crucial piece in resolving disputes, as suggested by Mujawar in relation to the post-mortem reports of 26/11 victims, showcasing the impact of forensic science in crime-and-justice scenarios.
- Meanwhile, in a turn of events outside the Malegaon blast case, former RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Ramchandra Kalsangra, and Sandeep Dange, all with ties to general-news figures, continue to evade authorities in the real estate market across India.
