‘Was Asked to Arrest RSS Chief’: Retired ATS Officer Reveals Explosive Details in Malegaon Case
MUMBAI, India – August 1, 2025: Just when you thought the 2008 Malegaon blast case was closed with everyone getting acquitted, something big happened. A retired Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officer, Mehboob Mujawar, has come out swinging, claiming he got orders to arrest Mohan Bhagwat, who heads the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). This is about as politically charged as it gets!
Mujawar dropped this bombshell in a news channel interview, and it’s basically thrown the whole “saffron terror” angle back into the headlines. For those who don’t remember, that’s the idea that Hindu extremists were behind the bombing. This revelation is bound to stir things up, especially given the current political climate, considering the sensitive nature of the case.
Officer Claims Political Pressure
So, what’s Mujawar’s side of the story? He was on the original ATS team investigating the blast. According to him, the instruction to arrest Bhagwat came directly from a senior officer, Param Bir Singh. But Mujawar says he refused because there was no legal reason to do it. He thought it was all about pushing a saffron terror narrative, which he didn’t agree with. It seems he stood his ground, believing the instruction was politically driven and lacked a solid legal foundation.
He claims his refusal had some pretty bad consequences. Mujawar says he got framed in a fake case, which messed up his career after four decades on the job. That’s a serious accusation, suggesting that his career was sabotaged for not going along with the alleged political agenda.
Quick Recap: The Malegaon Case
Just a reminder: the 2008 Malegaon blast was a terrible event where six people died, and over 100 were injured. Initially, the Maharashtra ATS took the lead on the investigation. They suggested right-wing extremists were responsible. Several people were arrested, including Pragya Singh Thakur, who is now a BJP MP, and Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit.
Later, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over. Recently, a special NIA court acquitted all seven people who were accused. The court said the prosecution didn’t prove anything against them and that the original ATS probe had some big holes in it. The acquittal cast serious doubts on the initial investigation and raised questions about the evidence presented.
Political Fallout Is Already Huge
Predictably, Mujawar’s story has set off a political firestorm. The BJP is all over it, saying it proves the previous UPA government (led by the Congress) was trying to smear Hindu organizations for political gain. They’re demanding a full investigation into whether there was political interference in the original investigation. This is a golden opportunity for the BJP to attack their political rivals and reinforce their base.
The Congress party, on the other hand, hasn’t said much. They’re staying quiet about the accusations against the former government and its agencies, which is not so unexpected.
Basically, with the accused now acquitted and Mujawar making waves with his claims, the Malegaon case is back in the spotlight and bringing with it a lot of political intensity. The issue is now up for debate, prompting more questions and scrutiny from the public and the media.
