New Delhi: Stating that clean chit given to Sadhvi and others is insult to slain ATS cheif Hemant Karkare, Congress on Sunday said the fresh chargesheet filed by NIA (National Investigation Agency) in the 2008 Malegaon blast case has put a question mark on India's commitment to fight terror and demanded that the probe should be monitored by the Supreme Court.
The opposition party asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to uphold his Constitutional oath by letting the Supreme Court monitor the case.
The NIA (National Investigation Agency) has become 'Namo Investigation Agency', senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said at a press conference here while contending that the chargesheet appears to be aimed at "decimating and demolishing" the "meticulous" probe conducted by Mumbai ATS led by late Hemant Karkare.
He claimed the agency dropped MACOCA charges to see that all the statements recorded by the ATS become inadmissible as evidence.
Sharma demanded Supreme Court-monitored probe in the "sudden reversal" of the stance that has led to exoneration of six accused including Sadhvi Pragya and "dilution" of the case against the remaining accused on account of withdrawal of MACOCA and other offences.
“MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) was used on the accused after they accepted their crimes,” Sharma told reporters. “What has happened is an insult to the memory of martyr Hemant Karkare.
“Karkare is unfortunately not with us to tell the country that he and his team carried out a fair investigation. And confessional statements were made by the accused and that was reflected in the charge sheets.”
"The developments have raised question mark on the integrity of India and its commitment to fight the forces of terror, having taken this position that India is a victim of organised terrorism, the targeted victim over decades, India is determined to fight terrorism, we condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestation," the former minister said.
Sharma questioned the government whether, with the fresh NIA stance, it is "negating" Karkare's "sacrifice". He demanded that Modi himself should intervene in the matter.
"... (it goes on to) show that the earlier probes, charges which were filed and arrests made were all wrong. The fact is, the steps were taken only after proper probe. We have always maintained that, with lot of seriousness, that terrorism and crime have no caste and religion," he added.
Questioning the government’s intention, Sharma asked: “What made the government to suddenly make a U-turn?
“This government is trying its best to save people associated with its allied groups by saying that the arrests made and the charges laid against them were wrong.”
Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he said: “Today there is a question mark on the integrity of India and its commitment to fight forces of terror.”
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