In a startling disclosure suggesting political targeting, a retired police inspector who once served in Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has alleged that he was directed to arrest RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat during the early stages of the 2008 Malegaon blast investigation, a move he claims was intended to support a narrative of so-called “saffron terror.”
Speaking publicly in Solapur on Thursday, retired inspector Mehiboob Mujawar claimed that these instructions were part of a broader effort to fabricate a narrative. He was reacting to a recent court ruling that acquitted all seven accused, including BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, and stated that the verdict had reversed the alleged manipulations made during the original ATS inquiry.
Mujawar further criticized the legitimacy of the probe, asserting that it was spearheaded by what he described as a “fake officer,” and called the entire investigation a sham. He named a senior officer allegedly involved and said that he was given secret orders to target several individuals, including Ram Kalsangra, Sandip Dange, Dilip Patidar, and Mohan Bhagwat himself. “I was told to arrest Mohan Bhagwat,” he stated.
However, Mujawar claimed he refused to comply, describing the orders as unjustifiable and beyond his professional or ethical limits. “It was inconceivable for me to detain someone of Mohan Bhagwat’s stature,” he said. According to him, his refusal led to false charges being filed against him, which ultimately ruined a 40-year career in law enforcement. He also asserted that he possesses documentary proof to substantiate his allegations.
Commenting on the broader investigation, Mujawar said, “I cannot speak to the motives of the ATS at the time, but those orders were not something any officer should have acted upon.” He also dismissed the concept of “saffron terrorism” altogether, calling it fabricated. “There was no such thing. It was all fake,” he concluded. The Malegaon blast case, which was initially handled by the ATS, was later transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
(With inputs from News 18)
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