On the flight from Delhi to Raipur today, I read the full text of Sadhvi Pragya's affidavit before the Nashik court. I cannot believe that such barbaric treatment has been meted out to a spiritual person, that too, a woman in a country that prides itself on its democracy and rule of law.
So far I had refrained from commenting on the allegations levelled by the Maharashtra Anti-terrorism Squad against Sadhvi Pragya and her supposed associates. But after going through her affidavit detailing how she was physically and psychologically tortured and abused by her interrogators, I have to express my shock and outrage which I am sure all Indians will share.
It is incredible that the Sadhvi was kept in illegal detention for two weeks while she was tortured in a vicious manner which led to her hospitalisation. Polygraph and narco tests were conducted without her consent. Not even a female constable was present during her illegal confinement
It has further become clear that the ATS is acting in a politically motivated and unprofessional manner. After levelling all kind of charges against a serving Army officer, and suggesting he stole RDX from an army depot to organise the blasts on the Samjhauta Express, it has now admitted that no RDX was used in those blasts.
In view of the shocking charges made against the ATS by the Sadhvi and the fact that the present investigating team has lost all moral authority, I demand that the present ATS team investigating the case be changed totally, and a judicial inquiry be ordered to probe the charges made by Sadhvi Pragya and the manner in which unsubstantiated allegations have been made against serving Army Personnel.
