Malegaon Blast Case: After Acquittals, Former ATS Officer Claims He Was Told to Arrest RSS Chief Bhagwat

The 2008 Malegaon blast case has resurfaced in national headlines—this time not because of legal proceedings, but due to explosive claims by a former Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officer. As seven key accused, including Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and Colonel Purohit, were recently acquitted after 17 years, retired ATS officer Mehboob Mujawar has made sensational allegations, claiming he was ordered to arrest RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat as part of a "conspiracy."

Who is Mehboob Mujawar?

Mehboob Mujawar is a former Maharashtra ATS officer who was part of the Malegaon blast investigation team. His name has surfaced several times in connection with controversial revelations about the handling of the case.

In 2016, Mujawar made headlines by claiming that two key accused—Sandeep Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra—had died years ago but were still being shown as absconding in official records. He alleged they were killed by the ATS on 28 November 2008, the day of the Mumbai terror attacks, but authorities concealed their deaths.

He submitted this claim in writing to a Solapur court on 19 August 2016, asserting that senior officers deliberately misrepresented facts in the chargesheet.

Claims Rejected by ATS Leadership

When asked about Mujawar’s role, former ATS Chief K.P. Raghuvanshi dismissed the claims, saying he did not remember Mujawar or whether he was even part of the investigation team.

Despite the denial, Mujawar recently reiterated his earlier statement and further added that he was given direct orders to trace Dange and Kalsangra, even though they were already dead. He claims he was framed in false cases when he refused to obey questionable orders.

Criminal Charges Against Mujawar

Mujawar himself has faced serious allegations:

• Booked under the Arms Act and criminal intimidation in 2009

• Accused in a disproportionate assets case

• Suspended following these charges

In his defense, Mujawar insists these cases were fabricated as retaliation for his non-compliance with certain internal directives, saying, “My 40-year-long career was ruined because I didn’t follow illegal orders.”

Explosive Allegation: ‘Arrest RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’

In his latest claim, Mujawar says he was ordered to arrest RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to support the “saffron terror” narrative. He described the directive as part of a politically motivated plan to frame RSS leadership in the Malegaon blast case.

“I was asked to trap Mohan Bhagwat. It was all scripted to prove the blast was linked to saffron terrorism,” said Mujawar.

The 2008 Malegaon Blast: A Recap

The blast occurred on 29 September 2008, during Ramzan, in the Muslim-majority town of Malegaon, Maharashtra. A bomb placed on a motorcycle exploded, killing 6 people and injuring over 100.

Initially, right-wing Hindu groups were linked to the blast, and nine individuals were named as accused, including:

• Sadhvi Pragya Thakur

• Col. Prasad Purohit

• Ramesh Upadhyay

• Ajay Rahirkar

• Sudhakar Chaturvedi

• Sameer Kulkarni

• Sudhakar Dwivedi

All these accused have since been acquitted, raising questions about the original investigation.