Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, a key accused in the 2008 Malegaon case, said on Thursday that she is a victim of Congress' consipiracy and has suffered due to nine years of injustice. Thakur, who was released on Thursday after being granted bail by the Bombay high court, also alleged that the Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad tortured her during her interrogation.
The high court had held that prima facie no case was made out against her. The court, however, rejected the bail plea of co-accused Prasad Purohit, a former army lieutenant colonel, saying the charges against him are of "serious and grave" nature.
"I am a victim of Congress' conspiracy, nine years of injustice," news agency ANI quoted Thakur as saying.
Six persons were killed and nearly 100 others injured when a bomb strapped to a motorcycle had exploded in Malegaon town of Nashik district, about 270km from Mumbai, on September 29, 2008.
Read | Ajmer Blast case 2007: NIA gives clean chit to Sadhvi Pragya due to lack of evidence
Sadhvi Pragya, 44 , was arrested in October that year and Purohit, 44, the next month and both were charged with plotting the blasts as part of what the prosecution said a plan by Hindu right wing group Abhinav Bharat.
They are in jail since their arrests. Nine others were also arrested and are behind bars. Welcoming the order, Sadhvi's brother-in-law Bhagwan Jha said the family will celebrate the relief granted to her.
The court also asked Sadhvi Pragya to furnish a cash surety of Rs five lakh and surrender her passport to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). It also directed her not to tamper with the evidence and to report to the NIA court as and when required.
Sadhvi Pragya, who is suffering from cancer, is currently undergoing treatment at a Madhya Pradesh hospital, while Purohit is lodged in Taloja jail in Maharashtra.
Read | Sadhvi Pragya gets bail in 2008 Malegaon blast case; Bombay HC denies any relief to co-accused Lt Col Prasad Purohit
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