A bigger explosion?

Some interesting revelations may raise a curtain over great dramatic happenings. And this may be important in various ways as its connected to national security, religious harmony, social justice, political gameplan and human rights.

Bomb blast in Malegaon (Dist: Nashik, Maharashtra) took place in the year 2008. This happened near a masjid. Everybody thought that some extremist Hindu elements are responsible for it. Police and Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS), then headed by shri. Hemant Karkare, started their probe in this direction and arrested Sadhvi Pradnya Singh, Lt. Col. Shri. Prasad Shrikant Purohit and several others as ‘suspects’. From then onwards, all are languishing in jail. No charges have been confirmed. Sadhvi’s health is deteriorated to a great extent. She seems to have faced a great torture for interrogation or may I say, to get ‘desired’ answers from her. Meanwhile, Swami Aseemanand, who is also behind bars for the Samjhauta Express blast, told in Court that he was forced by NIA (National Intelligence Agency) to tell the Court that Hindu elements were involved in the design.

We have maintained since beginning that violence or explosions, bomb blasts on our own soil cannot be a way to protect dharma or rashtra. It undoubtedly destroys humanity in addition to other things like loss of wealth, faith and harmony. Such untoward incidents cannot be defended on grounds of religion or its protection. And we sincerely believe that whoever is found guilty after trying him/her (by fair trial!), should be punished as per the law of the land. They should not be spared on whatsoever ground. But at the same time we unequivocally believe that no innocent person should be made to suffer the miseries for indefinite period only on ground of suspicion. But the people mentioned above are languishing in jail for this reason.

Now some facts have surfaced which may change the direction of theories relating to Malegaon bomb blast.

Lt. Col. Purohit was serving in Military Intelligence. In 2005, Purohit in fact was invited to deliver a lecture on intelligence-gathering at the Mumbai headquarters of the Anti-Terror Squad. He claims to have informed his superiors about the inputs he received while working with Abhinav Bharat activists. His superiors knew what he was doing at the relevant time. This he has stated with proofs before the Court of Inquiry (CoI) in the ongoing trial. Mr Purohit told the Court of Inquiry: "I must make a mention here that out of the vast int (intelligence) network development by me with great efforts I came to know about the likely involvement of some right-wing leaders in anti-national activities. The inputs received on 12 October 2008 were immediately forwarded to then CO (Commanding Officer) SCLU (Southern Command Liaison Unit) Col Pancpore, OC A Team, Det SCLU, Maj P. Khanzode and to Maj. B. Dey of 1/6 team CCLU (Central Command Liaison Unit) on 12/13 October 2008 itself and a written report in this regard was fwd to Maj Dey on 15 Oct 2008. Was he on the official job then? 59 officials (witnesses) from the Army have confirmed this before the CoI. It might be the case that Purohit was given the ‘official’ job to get in touch with elements of extreme ideology opposing Islamic extremism, and then to communicate with them as their sympathizer. After this, to penetrate deep into the organization and know about their network of supporters/active participants as well as future plans and designs. This he did well.

Some reactions on his work : Col. Hasmuk Patel, then Commanding Officer of Southern Command Liaison Unit wrote in Purohit's ACR in 2007: The Officer has infiltrated the SIMI and other underground outfits in the region through his capabilities and go getter attitude.

Col. YK Singh in 2008, noted: "He (Purohit) provided valuable int on Tabliq-e-jamal and MFO (Muslim Fundamentalist activities which were appreciated by environment. He developed on effective informant network in AOR which led to acquisition of Naxal propoganda and terrorist activities."

Now second thing is, this ‘big game’ of the Military Intelligence can be to counter  the rise of Islamic terrorism in Bharat. To fan so-called aggressive Hindu elements by showing them sympathy and build an ad-hoc structure which will fight pseudo-war with IM/SIMI and alike. In this operation Purohit was to act as a catalytic agent. If this theory is true, is it not hazardous? Is it desirable? Can official agency of Govt do this? One has to search for these answers on his own. Opinion on this may differ from person to person.

Third and most dramatic thing possible in this episode is – though Lt. Col. Purohit was on official duty, and though he informed his superiors about his activities, he turned to be a ‘double agent’! This means while working with the Abhinav Bharat and other organizations’ people, he really developed sympathy for them. He subscribed to their ideology. He could not keep himself aloof from the activities of these organizations and contributed towards them. Here the bosses in MI remained in dark about the changed circumstances. They came to know it afterwards, when it was too late to pull Purohit back. He had left in that train.

These are all possibilities. Some possibilities may be the truth. Nobody knows the complete story. It is interesting how the Department of Purohit defends itself, what proofs he actually has to show that he was on the official duty, when did he go far ahead and sympathized with Abhinav Bharat from his heart, and if he still maintains that he sympathized/supported these people out of sheer compulsion of his duty, how this claim is countered by the Department. Once a person supports a thing, an ideology, a movement, how can any other person argue that whether it is really from that man’s heart or that he is pretending.

Therefore, in coming days, it will be very interesting to see the changed course of events and resultant upheavals in this tragic episode.