RSS, VHP hail court's decision on Malegaon blast
Commenting on the judgment, Sunil Ambekar, national publicity in-charge of RSS, said, 'Some people misused power for personal and political gains and made a malicious attempt to link the Hindu religion and the entire Hindu society with terrorism. On the basis of the long judicial process and facts, the court has defeated those baseless allegations with its decision today.'
Alok Kumar, International President of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), also welcomed the court's verdict and said that there was also an attempt to implicate top leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the RSS in this case.
'..... is not just about the seven acquitted individuals but also about the conspiracy to defame the entire Hindu community has collapsed today,' Mr. Kumar said.
The court in Mumbai on Thursday acquitted all seven accused, noting there was 'no reliable and cogent evidence' against them. Terrorism has no religion, the court said, adding it cannot convict on mere perception.
The acquittal came 17 years after a blast in Malegaon town in which six people had lost their lives and several were left injured.
Former BJP MP Pragya Thakur, Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, Major Ramesh Upadhyay (Retd.), Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, and Sameer Kulkarni were accused in the case.
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