Samjhauta blast accused Aseemanand claims innocence
April 22nd, 2011 - 3:06 pm ICT by ANIAjmer, Apr 22 (ANI): Asserting that he had done nothing wrong, Samjhauta Express train blast accused Swami Aseemanand, who has also been charged for plotting the 2007 Ajmer Dargah blast, on Friday claimed his innocence.
“I am innocent. I have done nothing wrong,” he said, while leaving the Ajmer court.
Assemanand, who had confessed his role in the Ajmer, Mecca Masjid, Malegaon and Samjhauta Express blasts, turned hostile earlier last month and accused the investigating agencies, including National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS), of pressurising him to make the ‘confessions’.
He told the Ajmer Chief Judicial Magistrate that his confession to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was under coercion from investigation agencies. And so was his letter allegedly suggesting he wanted to turn approver.
“I have been pressurised mentally and physically by the investigating agencies to ‘confess’ that I was behind these blasts,” stated Assemanand in his letter submitted before the Jaipur local court.
The Rajasthan Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested Aseemanand on January 22 in connection with the 2007 Ajmer Dargah attack case.
Earlier on January 18, Ajmer court had issued a production warrant against him.
Aseemanand is an accused in the Ajmer Dargah, blast in which a bomb had exploded just after evening prayers on October 11, 2007, at the famed Sufi shrine, resulting in the deaths of three and injuries to 17 others.
Panchkula court had earlier on January 15 recorded Aseemanand’s statement in connection with the Samjhauta case.
The blast in the Indo-Pak train in Panipat district had left 68 people dead in February 2007.
The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested Aseemanand on November 19 last year for his alleged involvement in Mecca Masjid blast in Hyderabad that left nine persons dead.
His name had also come up during the probe in Malegaon blast of 2008 when Maharashtra’s ATS recovered the number of the Swami’s driver from Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, another Abhinav Bharat member and an accused arrested in Malegaon case. (ANI)
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- Court allows NIA to compare Samjhauta, Malegaon blasts evidence - Sep 28, 2011
- Aseemanand denies role in Samjhauta train blasts - May 12, 2011
- Rajasthan cops take Aseemanand to Ajmer for blast probe - Jan 22, 2011
- NIA not allowed to question Ajmer dargah blast suspect - Sep 23, 2011
- CBI opposes bail plea of nine accused in 2006 Malegaon blasts - Jan 28, 2011
- 2006 Malegaon blasts case: MCOCA court adjourns hearing till Feb. 7 - Jan 28, 2011
- Samjhauta blast: Aseemanand sent to judicial custody till Jan. 27 - Jan 13, 2011
- Aseemanand insists he is innocent in Samjhauta blasts - Jul 18, 2011
- Bomb for bomb - Aseemanand confesses bombings to target Muslims (Lead) - Jan 07, 2011
- Aseemanand confesses to his involvement in Samjhauta, Ajmer blasts - Jan 07, 2011
- Mecca blast accused sent to judicial custody (Lead) - Nov 20, 2010
Tags: ats, blast in hyderabad, blasts, cbi, central bureau of investigation, coercion, express train, investigation agencies, investigation agency, judicial magistrate, local court, maharashtra, malegaon, mecca, mecca masjid blast, national investigation, october 11, samjhauta express, swami, train blast