MP govt mulls reopening Joshi murder case and probe Pragya Singh Thakur
Bhopal, May 21: In a politically-significant move, the Madhya Pradesh government is contemplating to reopen a 12-year-old murder case of an RSS activist in which controversial BJP leader Pragya Singh Thakur was acquitted due to lack of evidence.
RSS 'pracharak' Sunil Joshi was shot dead in Dewas district on December 29, 2007. Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts, was one of the eight people who were acquitted by a lower court in 2017 in the Joshi murder case due to lack of evidence.
State Law Minister P C Sharma said a legal opinion is being sought for reopening the case as the bureaucrats had "faulted" by not appealing against the February 1, 2017, order of the court.
The move is seen by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as a "politics of revenge" by the Congress-led government in the state. "It looks like the MP government is going to take this decision because Pragya Thakur contested the election as BJP candidate against Congress' Digvijaya Singh," party spokesperson Rajnish Agarwal said.
Thakur is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Bhopal on a BJP ticket against the Congress' two-time chief minister, Digvijaya Singh. The exit polls indicate of a victory for Thakur.
Sharma said the state government would appeal in a higher court to reopen the Joshi murder case, adding that the Dewas collector had been asked to submit a report.
"We will seek a legal opinion on that report and then take a decision about moving a higher court," Sharma said, claiming that the then district collector took a decision about not filing a review without asking the law department for legal opinion.
"The district collector should have sent the report to the law department instead of deciding that there was no need to move a higher court," the minister said.
The NIA had been moving from pillar to post for getting the Joshi murder case transferred to it from the Madhya Pradesh police, which was then headed by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The then BJP-led state government was initially reluctant in handing over the case, but finally had to give in.
Joshi, who had been chargesheeted by the NIA in connection with the Samjhauta Express blast in 2007, was considered an important link to alleged acts of right-wing terror. He was shot dead when he was walking back to his hideout in Chuna Khadan locality in Dewas town.
The state police had also filed a charge sheet in the Joshi murder case against Thakur, against whom charges had been framed by a special court in the Malegaon blasts case that left nine people dead. She is presently out on bail.
After the BJP-led NDA came to power at the Centre in 2014, the NIA shifted the Joshi murder case back to the Madhya Pradesh police, saying it found no terror angle in the case. Joshi has been named as an accused in the NIA charge sheet on the 2007 Samjhuta train blasts that left over 60 people dead.
Under the previous UPA dispensation, the NIA had filed several applications before courts in Madhya Pradesh, seeking directions to the state police to hand over the investigation to it.
The MP police, after having closed the Joshi murder case earlier, reopened it and filed a charge sheet in Dewas, alleging Thakur and four others had murdered him as the accused feared he might expose the entire conspiracy from Samjhauta to Ajmer blasts.
The NIA, which had taken over the case in 2013, filed a supplementary charge sheet in August 2015, over a year after the Modi government took office. It said since no "scheduled offence" had been found during the probe, the designated NIA court might transfer the matter to any other court for taking cognizance of the offence.
The anti-terror agency ruled out any larger conspiracy, reducing the case to one of simple murder by contending that "licentious advances" made by Joshi to Thakur had angered her accomplices who killed him.
The court had in February 2017 acquitted Thakur and seven others, observing that the state police and the NIA conducted the probe with "prejudice" and produced "weak and self-contradictory evidence".
"The contradictory evidences by police and NIA in the case raised serious doubts in the whole case," Rajiv Madhusudan Apte, the additional district and sessions judge, said while acquitting Thakur, Harshad Solanki, Vasudev Parmar, Patel, Anandraj Kataria, Lokesh Sharma, Rajendra Choudhary and Jitendra Sharma.
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Rajnath, Shah, other Union ministers change social media profile photos to 'Op Sindoor' logo
New Delhi (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and other top ministers on Thursday changed the display pictures on their social media profiles to mark the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor following a call by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The prime minister, earlier in the day, shared a digital poster depicting the now widely recognised logo of Operation Sindoor and urged others to do the same as a mark of respect to the armed forces.
Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, with Indian forces conducting precision strikes on multiple terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK).
After launching the military operation, the Indian Army, in a post on X, at 1:51 am on May 7 had said, "Justice is served. Jai Hind!"
On its first anniversary, the Indian military on Thursday said, Operation Sindoor -- "precise in action, eternal in memory" -- reflected the country's determination to defend its sovereignty with courage, coordination and strength.
The Army, the Navy, the Indian Air Force, the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) and the defence ministry also updated the display pictures on their social media profiles to mark the anniversary.
Defence Minister Singh, while updating his profile photo on X, said Operation Sindoor stands as a "powerful symbol" of national resolve and preparedness, and that their actions reflected unmatched precision, and set a "benchmark" for modern military operations.
"On the anniversary of Operation Sindoor, we salute the valour and sacrifices of our armed forces, whose courage and dedication continue to safeguard the nation. Their actions during the operation reflected unmatched precision, seamless jointness and deep synergy across services, setting a benchmark for modern military operations," he wrote.
"Operation Sindoor stands as a powerful symbol of national resolve and preparedness, showing that our armed forces are always ready to act decisively when it matters most. It also stands testament to India’s steady advance towards achieving #Atmanirbharta, enhancing capability while reinforcing resilience," he added.
The Ministry of External Affairs, led by its minister Jaishankar, also marked the anniversary, and reasserted and amplified India's diplomatic stand on this operation.
"A year ago, #OperationSindoor demonstrated the nation's resolve to defend itself against cross-border terrorism from Pakistan. With its decisive actions, India ensured accountability for terrorist actions. And underlined that such a serious threat to peace and security will be effectively countered. Under the leadership of PM @narendramodi, India stands strong and determined to convey a message of zero tolerance for terrorism," the EAM posted on X.
Earlier in a separate post, Jaishankar too changed his profile picture and posted an image of the Operation Sindoor logo on the timeline.
Home Minister Shah, in a post on X, said, "Operation Sindoor stands as an epochal mission of India that will always remind our enemies of the infallible striking power of our armed forces."
After Indian forces had launched the operation in the early hours of May 7, Pakistan later also launched offensives against India, and all subsequent counter-offensives by India were also carried out under Operation Sindoor.
The military conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, lasting nearly 88 hours, halted after they reached an understanding on the evening of May 10.
Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav, Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi and Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil too updated their profile photos.
The Indian Army in an early morning post wrote, "#OperationSindoor India's resolute response calibrated and precise. Committed to safeguarding sovereignty and its people. #JusticeServed Jai Hind".
It also shared a video clip encapsulating the circumstances that led to the decisive military action in the early hours of May 7 last year, as well as some footage offering a glimpse to the military might of India.
"India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers," PM Modi had earlier said in his address, whose excerpt is part of the widely shared clip.
Recalling the military action launched on the intervening night of May 6-7, the Indian Air Force put out the anniversary post on X at 1:05 AM.
"Operation Sindoor Justice served. Precise in action, eternal in memory-Operation Sindoor continues. India forgets nothing-India forgives nothing. #operation #Sindoor #operationsindoor #IAF," the IAF posted.
The Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) also posted the anniversary message at 1:05 AM, saying, "Symbol of national resolve #OpSindoor JAI HIND #OpSindoor #indianarmedforces #NationalSecurity".
The Indian embassies in the US, the UK, Spain, France, Germany and Italy also updated their display pictures on their social media profiles.
The embassies in France, Germany, Spain and Italy posted on X in French, German and Italian, amplifying the message of the Indian leadership on Operation Sindoor's anniversary in the respective countries.
The Indian Embassy in the UK posted on X, "One year of #OperationSindoor A tribute to India’s resolve, unity, and unwavering stand against terrorism. Saluting the courage and sacrifice of our armed forces who protect the nation with pride and honor. #OpSindoor #IndiaAgainstTerrorism #IndianArmedForces #NationalSecurity #IndiaFirst #SaluteOurForces #JaiHind #OperationSindoorContinues".
The Indian embassy in Israel also changed its profile photo on X and reposted PM Modi's post, and the X account of the embassy in Iran too changed the display picture to the logo of Operation Sindoor.
The Indian Navy in an early morning post on X said Operation Sindoor reflected India's determination to defend its sovereignty with courage and strength.
"Nation's Resolve. Forces United In moments that test a nation's will, the Indian Defence Forces stand united - resolute in purpose, precise in action and unwavering in commitment. #OperationSindoor reflects India's determination to defend its sovereignty with courage, coordination and strength. #OpSindoor #NationFirst #IndianNavy @HQ_IDS_India @adgpi @IAF_MCC," the Navy posted and changed its profile photo.
