24 March,2023 07:51 AM IST | Mumbai | Agencies
Representative Image. Pic/iStock
A real estate agent on Thursday became the 30th witness to turn hostile in the 2008 Malegaon blast case in which Bharatiya Janata Party MP Pragya Thakur is among the accused. The witness had been recruited as secret informer by Lt Colonel Prasad Purohit, one of the accused in the case.
As per the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which initially investigated the case, the witness had given it a statement in 2008. But during the deposition before the court, the witness said he did not recollect giving any statement to the probe agency, following which the court declared him as hostile. As per the prosecution, he is the 30th witness to turn hostile in the case.
Also Read: BJP will stage protests across Maharashtra against Rahul Gandhi: Chandrashekhar Bawankule
The prosecution had claimed that the witness had told the ATS that he met Purohit through a common acquaintance and they kept in touch. Later, Purhohit recruited him for gathering information for the military intelligence and also gave him an identity card, as per the ATS. Purohit spoke about spreading the Hindutva ideology and told him that he was working on building an organisation on those lines, the ATS had quoted the witness as saying.
ALSO READ
AIMIM wins Malegaon Central seat by 162 votes
Bombay HC refuses to stay release of movie on 2008 Malegaon blast
HC refuses to stay release of movie on Malegaon blast, calls it work of fiction
ED raids in Maha, Gujarat in Malegaon trader bank accounts 'fraud' case'
Malegaon blast: Pragya Thakur faces new warrant after skipping court date again
The witness had also attended a meeting of the secret organisation Abhinav Bharat in Pune where other accused were also present, the statement claimed. The witness, however, recognised only Purohit in the court on Thursday and not any of other accused. Six people were killed and over 100 injured on September 29, 2008, when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Malegaon town.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
