Author: Rahi Gaikwad
Publication: The Hindu
Date: November 21, 2008
URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/21/stories/2008112162021200.htm
A Shiv Sena party worker, Shilpa Sanjay Deshmukh,
filed a petition at the Bombay High Court on Thursday demanding a judicial
inquiry into the alleged ill-treatment of the Malegaon blast suspect, Pragnya
Singh Thakur. The petition also demands that the case be transferred from
the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) to the State CID in Pune.
Ms. Deshmukh said media reports on Pragnya's
custodial torture and illegal detention prompted her to file the petition.
The reports were based on Pragnya's statement submitted to the Nashik court
on Monday.
"I have filed the petition in my individual
capacity. My party has not asked me to do it, although they are aware of it,"
she said.
The petition says that male officers had investigated
Pragnya and narco tests were conducted on her afterafter her police custody
ended.
Stating Pragnya's religious orientation, it
chides the ATS investigation for being prejudiced against Hindu organisations
and Hindu accused. In contrast, the ATS has soft peddled the involvement of
"Muslim organisation Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI)."
The petition criticises the charges of the
investigating agency as "baseless," especially in the context of
the ATS' denial of Lieutenant-Colonel Prasad Purohit's involvement in the
Samjhauta blast.
Citing an instance of a narco test in another
case, the petition states Karim Telgi, prime accused in the stamp paper scam,
had named many political leaders in his tests; however, "the State government
ignored the same for the reasons best known to them, says the petition."
"This is an example of giving unequal treatment for the results of narco
analysis test. There should be guidelines for conducting narco analysis test."
Ms. Deshmukh takes exception to Deputy Chief
Minister and Home Minister R.R. Patil's statement that there was strong proof
against the Malegaon blast suspects. "The matter is sub-judice and therefore
such an interview is highly objectionable and it is also prejudicial"
While Ms. Deshmukh has used media reports
to put forth her claims, she has objected to ATS "disclosing everything
to the media" and has called for restricting the ATS from making statement
to the media "in public interest."
The date of the hearing is not yet decided.
"We have just filed the petition today. It may come up for hearing by
next Thursday. The issue is very hot," said Ms. Deshmukh's lawyer V.P.
Patil.
