M A I N   N E W S

Pragya ‘torture’
BJP charges being looked into, PM tells Advani
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 20
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s efforts to smoothen the ruffled feathers of the Sangh parivar in general and Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani in particular, over the investigations into the Malegaon blasts and interrogation of Pragya Singh Thakur seem to have had no serious impact.

Advani had issued a strong statement from Raipur on Tuesday in defence of Pragya, referring to her allegations of “barbaric torture” against the Mahrashtra ATS. He had demanded scrapping the ATS team and turning the investigations into a judicial probe instead.

According to sources in the BJP, the Prime Minister called up Advani on the phone the same day and for over half an hour he tried to convince the BJP leader that the police is not torturing Pragya. The Prime Minister also tried to persuade Advani not to make statements which could vitiate the investigations and demoralise the interrogating team.

But Advani reportedly told the Prime Minister that he should see the Pragya affidavit and only that could make him believe what mental and physical torture she has been undergoing.

The Prime Minister then offered to send National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan to explain all the circumstances.

Advani reportedly told the Prime Minister, “They are welcome. But no one can restrain me from reacting to such barbaric treatment to a sadhvi, sanaysin.”

MCOCA slapped on accused

Mumbai, November 20
The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) today invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the ten accused arrested so far in the September 29 Malegaon blasts case. One more suspect would be arrested soon, ATS chief Hemant Karkare said at a press conference.

Karkare said the case would now shift to the special MCOCA court in Mumbai. Currently, the proceedings are underway at a court in Nashik district, under which Malegaon falls.

MCOCA allows police to keep an accused in custody longer than in ordinary case, before the chargesheet is filed. — PTI