PM Modi's name among those I was forced to take: Pragya Thakur on Malegaon blast

Former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Thakur said she has submitted in writing whose names she was coerced into taking during a probe into the Malegaon blast case.

Former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Thakur on Saturday said that she has submitted in writing the names she was "forced" to take during the 2008 Malegaon blast probe. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat were among people she allegedly was coerced to name.

Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, along with six others, was acquitted by a special NIA court in the Malegaon blast case. (PTI)

Her remarks came days after she, along with six others, was acquitted by a special NIA court in the case.

"...I was forced into taking names... their aim was to torture me, 'if you take those names, we won't torture you, I was told," Sadhvi Pragya said while interacting with the media.

Yogi Adityanath and Mohan Bhagwat were among the names she said she was forced to take during the investigation.

"My lung membrane ruptured, I fell unconscious, I was being detained at a hospital illegally... I will talk about all this in my story, the truth will come out," Pragya said, adding that since she was living in Gujarat, she was also asked to name PM Narendra Modi, but she took no names.

She also accused the Congress of fabricating the case and always using "respectful words for terrorists".

Seven people were acquitted in connection with the Malegaon blast case, after the court noted that the prosecution failed to establish the case beyond a reasonable doubt. "All bail bonds of the accused are cancelled and sureties are discharged," the NIA special court said.

Apart from Sadhvi Pragya, those acquitted were Major (retired) Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhankar Dhar Dwivedi (Shankaracharya) and Sameer Kulkarni.