The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is expected to question Pragya Singh Thakur in connection with the Samjhauta blast case. She was arrested in 2008 by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in connection with the Malegaon blasts of 2008. Her role in Samjhauta blast has come to light following Swami Aseemanand’s confession that it was Pragya Thakur who had introduced him to Sunil Joshi, an RSS pracharak from Madhya Pradesh. Assemanand has said that it was Sunil Joshi who planned the terror strike on the Samjhauta blasts, in a statement recorded before a magistrate in connection with the Mecca Masjid blast case. On Saturday, the NIA produced Assemanand before a magistrate where his statement was recorded in connection with 2007 Samjhauta blast case.
The NIA has got fresh leads to suggest that Pragya Thakur was coordinating with Hindu extremists Sandeep Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra who are “wanted” by the agency to carry out more strikes prior to her arrest. The NIA recently declared a reward of `10 lakhs each on Dange and Kalsangra, and a `2 lakh reward on Ashok. The agency is also probing the role of other members of Pragya’s outfit Jai Vande Matram in the Samjhauta case.
After the death of Joshi in 2007, investigators believe that Pragya’s interrogation is crucial to unravel the conspiracy behind the Samjhauta blast. Aseemanand had his first meeting with Pragya Thakur, who used to work with BJP’s youth wing ABVP then, in 2003.
In their second meeting, Pragya brought along Sunil Joshi and introduced him to Aseemanand by the name of Manoj Kumar. Aseemanad later on came to know that Manoj’s real name is Sunil Joshi and he is wanted in a murder case in Madhya Pradesh.
In March 2006, Aseemanad told Pragya and Manoj that there was a need to give a befitting reply to the blast that occurred at the Sankat Mochan temple in Varanasi. Aseemanand gave `25,000 for buying weapons and other materials to Sunil Joshi.
In the next few months, Aseemanand had meetings with few other members of Joshi’s group like Dange, Kalsangra, Lokesh Sharam and Amit.
According to Aseemanand, it was Sunil Joshi who suggested a strike at the Samjhauta Express as Pakistanis travel in the train.
Joshi took the responsibility to divide the work and coordinate between members of the group.