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Transcripts of interrogatories of some witnesses in the Malegaon case

14|12|2008, witness n° 99.

... I have the following education: classes 1-8 Nutan Marathi Vidyalaya Pune, classes 9 and 10
at Maharachtra Vidyalaya and classes 11 and 12 at the Apte Prashalya. I then obtain a diploma
in computer technology from the Bharatiya Vidyapeeth in Pune in 1989-90.

In 1982 I became close to Mr *** who I met at the Youth Hostel Association of India. Mr ***
Would come to the association to hold slide shows. Since I was found of trekking; I became
an office bearer of the association and Mr *** held slide shows on Indian forts etc… at the
association between 1982 and 1985. From 85-90 I continued to have contact with Mr ***
over the phone or through personal meetings. Since he lectured all over the state, I
accompanied him to Sangli, Mumbaï, Kolhapur, Satara, Ratnagiri and other places. He is a
member of the Bharatiya Itihas Samshodham Mandal (Indian society for historical research).
In 1990 I was appointed was employed by *** company as a secretary. I earned a salary of Rs
1100 per month. At the company my job was trading with diesel engine spare parts. I would
order supplies, take delivery of … , make out bills, recover dues and other similar activities.
Since the main business was not doing well, he decided in 2006 to close chop. I still continued
to work for him as his secretary and now I earn Rs 5000.

On May 2006 my boss met Prasad Purohit and some of his colleagues. I was present at this
first encounter. I learnt that Purohit was a major in the Indian army. Purohit talked about
Indian youth and how young people should enter the IAS, IPS, the military and said he
wished to help the country’s youth. He floated the idea of a “trust” which would come to the
help of the country’s youth.

Mr *** being a specialist in history, a certain Rakesh Ghawde came to meet him. I knew of
Mr Ghawde because he taught about ancient history and had founded an organization called
Indos which I knew he was running. I had been to him to ask him to translate an ancient
document written in Modi script.

In June 2006, in order to set up the new trust, I, Prasad Purohit, ***; Ajay Rahirkar, in all 16-
17 of us went to Shivaji Maharaj’s fort Raigarh to find a good “Muhurat”. We took the
blessings of Shivaji Maharaj’s throne and decided to name the trust Abhinav Bharat and
prayed for its success.

In February 2007 the Abhinav Barat trust was duly registered. Its chairman was ***, treasures
was Ajay Raikar and *** (blanked out) were among the other trustees. The address of the trust
was given as 16|04 Sant Krupa of Karve Road, Pune 411004. This is Ajay Rahirkar’s personal
address. Even before the trust was founded, Rahirkar looked after all cash transactions, and
had in his custody all papers, ***, and kept accounts. I have been able to recognize the
signatures of Prasad Purohit and (6 names blanked out with one female name blanked out). I
recognize the signatures of all of them. The trust’s aim was to give young people economic,
educational, cultural and social help and to inculcate in them cultural, historical values and
traditions. Teach them Maharashtra’s heritage in art, culture, music so that they make
progress.
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The first meeting of the trust took place in Feb 2007.A certain sympathetic lady … the trust
450000 rupees and the money was deposited into the account of the Abhinav Bharat Trust
State Bank of India, Kasne Road Branch Pune. To my knowledge, Abhinav Bharat paid a
cheque of 225000 rupees to the Indos organization of Rakesh Ghawde.

Because I could not carry on with my work for the trust since I was working on Power … for
***, I resigned from the trust and took no interest in its activities thereafter. Today I was
questioned about the Malegaon blasts by police officer Kulrasni and I told him all I about the
trust and the meetings on its work I also told him about the meeting with Shankaracharya in
Nasik. I have told all I know.

From that I remember *** was informed by Purohit that the Shankaracharya and I expressed
the desire to meet him. As a result, myself and *** went to Nasik in June 2007 at the call of
Purohit who came to meet us around 11 am. We went in Purohiti Indica car to his rooms at the
Deolali Camp. His wife was in his house then. Purohit took both of us to the place where the
Shankaracharya was staying. There were 30-40 other people there doing pooja. We waited
outside with Purohit. We met Mr ***, Mr *** from Mumbaï whom we knew. All these people
had been called by Purohit to meet the Shankaracharya. When the others came out we went
into the Shankaracharya’s room. Mr *** was present as was Chaturvedi and a *** from the
Shiv Sena. Another person was introduced as an office bearer of the BJP. We spoke for 30-40
minutes on the following matters: Mr *** said Hindus had become ignorant about their own
religion. Hindu youth were running after money and careers only. Mr *** said nobody cared
for Hindus anymore and that Muslims were really pampered. Muslims behave very badly and
Hindus accept it quietly. Muslims must be taught a lesson. There would be a loud (Dhamaka
literally explosion) noise against the Muslims. For that purpose I’m training my young people.

Prasad Purohit said many things were wrong in the country and needed to be rectified. For
that unity was very important.

Mr *** said that the Koran and Hadith were the holy books of the Muslims who behaved
accordingly to the tenets of the same and that we should not be suspicious about that.

Chaturvedi and Mr *** did not express an opinion during the meeting. Shankaracharya said
the Hindu religion must be defended. Hindu religion is in danger. It is our duty to defend
Hinduism. So all Hindu in the country must unite. While the Shankaracharya was speaking to
us he had placed a laptop on the table. Seeing him use it astonished me.

After that, *** and *** went together to Purohit. After dinner *** told Purohit that hence
forward we needed no such act that would sow hatred between different religions. But that he
should not invite anyone inclined to place bombs etc to meetings where there would be debate
also that he was opposed to any bomb blasts, riots or violent acts. This was clearly expressed
by Mr *** to Prasad Purohit. This was because the Abhinav Bharat Trust was not founded to
perpetrate violent acts. After that, *** and *** went to Pune.

Today police officer Mohan Kulkarni showed me a CD found during the investigation into the
Malegaon bomb blasts. In that I was able to indentify Mr ***, Mr*** Mr*** Mr*** and Mr
Chaturvedi , Prasad Purohit and the voice of the Shankaracharya.
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Also I can say that the Abhinav Bharat Trust inauguration was held at the Parshuram
Saikhedkar Theatre in Nasik. For that ***and *** went from Pune. Mr *** and Mr
Asimanand, Purohit, and Chaturvedi were also present.

On 16 Dec 2006 at BMCC medical college we celebrated the victory over Pakistan in the
Bangladesh war. Purohit was present for that too, as I was. My Marathi declaration has been
typed and read to me.

Dated 14|12|2008, witness n° 100

Both my wife and I are extremely interested in religious study. Between 26 May 08 to about 1
June 08 we went for a week to Siddhi garden at Theatre Bridge, Pune. Kishori Viyas was
there to lecture. Kishori and a famous religious teacher, Mr *** were felicitated at the
occasion. That was when I met Mr ***.

In July 2008 Mr *** phoned me to say that the Shankaracharya from Jammu and Kashmir
would be coming and asked me if I could put him up. I said yes and from 18 July 2008 in the
morning of the Gurupoornima (full moon) at 8 am Shankaracharya came to my house. I put
him up on the first floor of the house. And we took Darshan. Since I have health problems I
cannot climb stairs so I did not go upstairs. Many people came and went but I knew none of
them. The same day around 12 noon the Shankaracharya went out. Then in August Sham Apte
called to ask if we could house the Shankaracharya again. So around Gokul Ashtani –I don’t
remember the exact date- he came back to our house. Mr *** had also come to our house.
That evening around 8:30 pm the Shankaracharya held a press conference at my house. He
talked to the press about happenings in J and K and spoke about his work helping people and
asked for donations. That evening he also met other devotees who came to see him and left
the next morning.

Witness n° 104.

...I am the chief Pujari at the said temple. Before April 1999 I worked at ***.

SOS (Save Our Soul) Harmann Gweinner social and medical center Anangpur, Faridabad … .
Mr *** used to meet me. He was also the *** at the Chakeshwar Hari Parwat Mandir. The
said temple being located on a hill there was need for a young pujari who could climb up and
down the hill without problem.

I receive Rs 5500 as salary. The said temple is also maintained by the institution described
above. Since August 07 Mrs *** is the project manager of the temple and Mr *** manages
the temple.

There is a satsang office at the bottom of the hill and a Dev Mandir on the top of the hill. On
the western side of the temple there are rooms with toilets and a hall. I supervise the work of 3
gardeners, 3 security guards and 1 cleaner.
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From Sept 2007, *** created a register to record devotees and those who stayed in the rooms.
The register is kept by the security guards. Since the Shankaracharya was a special guest, he
was never entered into the register.

Asia Chairman of the SOS institute was J N Kaul and he died of old age on 16|02|08. The
SOS institute has branches all over the country. In 2004 Mr Kaul brought to the temple the
Sharda Peeth Shankaracharya from Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Kaul introduced me to the
Shankaracharya and told me that each time the Shankaracharya I should intend to his needs
and serve him. That time he stayed for 3-4 days in the Dhyanpeeth Hall.

He always came to the temple with two students Mr *** and Mr ***. The gardner of our
temple, Mr *** would cook for them. His food expenses were born by us. The
Shankaracharya would come every two months or so and stay 15 days to a month. Which is
why I know Shankaracharya Swami Amritananda Devatirth extremely well. Every time he
stayed here he used his laptop in his bedroom and did not meet ordinary people. His visitors
went straight to his bedroom to meet him.

From Dec 07 to 25 March 08 the Shankaracharya was with us at the temple. People came to
meet him from Delhi, Faridabad. Mr *** from Delhi was one of his visitors. On 25 January
08 about 20-25 people came to meet him. The Shankaracharya held a meeting with them in
the Dhyampeeth Hall. Similarly on the night of 25|01|08 some 10-15 people camped there and
Angpur village. The dinner was made by workers of our institution.

On 26|01|08 Mr *** from Delhi came with 2-3 persons. They met the Shankaracharya all day
for a closed door meeting in which no outsider was allowed. Some left the same night while
other left on the next morning.

Witness n° ??

I have been living here and working for *** institution since 2007. The institution has
branches in 131 countries of which 32 are in India. The present chairman is Mr *** the
former Asia chairman J N Kaul died on 16 December 2008 and Mr *** has taken his place.

The institute built in 2003 the Chakeshwar Hari Parbat Mata Mandir on grounds of 7 acres
near Anangpur and it manages the temple.

On the west side of the Mata Mandir on the hill are rooms, bathrooms, toilets, gardens and
meeting halls.

According to the instructors’ rules, small children, sick persons and the elderly can stay in the
guest house for up to 10 days.

Mr Kaul’s guest, Shankaracharya Swami and two of his students stayed in the guest house
repeatedly and for long periods and used the meeting hall for discussions during 2004.

Since first September 01 I have instituted a register to note who has come and stayed at the
guest house. The security guards carry out this task.

The Shankaracharya came 9-10 times in a year and the expenses for his stays were borne by
our institute. I noticed this was against the rules and I wrote a letter of complaint to our head
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office saying each time the Shankaracharya came to stay could the head office send special
permission for him. Accordingly, each time the Shankaracharya came to stay, we would
receive special permission sent by our head office by e-mail to allow him to use the guest
house and for us to bear the expenses.

The Shankaracharya and his two disciples stayed for 31 days in January 08. Many, many
people came to meet them.

On 25, 26 Jan 08 some 20-25 people came to meet the Swami at the temple. For these two
days they held meetings in the Dyanpeeth hall. Several guests stayed for night and we
prepared meals for over 10 of them. The employees had to work over time and on 28|01|08
they asked for overtime pay. I therefore wrote a letter of complaint about the Shankaracharya
to the head office by e-mail to Delhi.

Similarly in March 2008 I made a full record of the Shankaracharya’s stays at the temple from
December 2007 and sent the same to the head office to Delhi.

In November 2008 I learnt through the press and the TV that Shankaracharya Swami
Amritananda Devatirth was arrested in connection with the Malegaon bomb blast and that his
real name was Sudhakar Dwivedi alias Dayanand Pandey alias Shankaracharya.

In November 08 the police visited the temple and the Dyanpeeth Hall where the Swami held
his meetings. The police also took the notebook recording comings and goings to the guest
house, photos and the exchange of e-mails I had with Delhi headquarter on the subject of the
Shankaracharya.

Dated: 26/12|08, witness n°116.

… I was born on 27 Dec 1929. From an early age -since 1940- I have been working for the
RSS as a karyakarta (worker). In 1991 I fought a parliamentary election for the Lok Sabha on
a BJP ticket from East Delhi and I won the seat. I won again in 1996 but resigned my seat in
1997 and left the BJP on 15 March 1997. Since 1998 I have been working for the VHP
(Vishva Hindu Parishad).

There are many refugees, Kashmiri Pandits, living in my constituency. Among them a certain
Mr *** told me in 2004 “a Kashmiri Pandit from that Shardapeeth, a certain Shankaracharya
Swami Amritananda Devatirth was staying at the guest house of the New Delhi railway
Station. His thoughts and idea about making India into an Akhand Bharat Hindu Rashtra are
very similar to your own. You should surely meet him.”

I thought over it and decided to meet thee Swami. Therefore with a friend, Mr ***, I went to
meet him. The Swami introduced us to his two disciples, Mr *** and Mr ***. We talked for
about 30 minutes especially about the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits forced to flee J and K
because of Pakistani activity. Then the Swami opened his laptop and showed us videos. They
showed Muslims slitting the throat of Hindus. The videos were very disturbing and gave rise
to feelings in us of extreme anti-Islamic sentiments. We exchanged mobile phone numbers
and we left.
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In Sept 07 the Swami phones me to say that he was in Nasik for the Chaturmas and that he
was going to stay in Deolali and that I should meet him there to discuss our ideas about
Akhand Bharat. So in September 07 I left Delhi by train for Nasik. The Swami was staying in
a farmhouse in Deolali belonging to a … couple. I went there and found 7-8 persons gathered
in the room of the Shankaracharya. Amongst them were army colonel Prasad Purohit
Sudhakar Chaturvedi , *** from Mumbaï and others to whom I as introduced. The Swami had
his laptop with him. He spoke about his idea of Akhand Bharat and of making India a Hindu
Rashtra and he also talked about the Abhinav Bharat organization. He told us that Prasad
Purohit was trying to achieve Akhand Bharat through his Abhinav Bharat organization. We
were told that Sudhakar Chaturvedi was working full time for the organization. Our meeting
lasted one hour during which we discussed the rape of Hindu women in J and K, their murder,
etc… I returned to Delhi after the meeting.

On *** I decided to celebrate my birthday on a grand scale since I would be turning an age
milestone. Therefore I invited friends and relatives. The Shankaracharya was amongst them.
During the celebrations I fell off the stage and was taken to our …’s nursing home.

In the second week of June 08 the Swami called me to say he was staying at Hasiparbat
temple in Anangpur near Faridabad where he would be holding a meeting to discuss the
project of Kashmiri Pandits displaced from the valley and invited me to it. I was unwell and
said I could not go but the Swami insisted so much that I agreed.

On 21 June 08 at 11:00 I reached the temple in my car n°*** with my driver and attendant.

My arrival was noted at the gate. The Swami was in the western part of the temple in the
Dyanpeeth meeting hall and there I met Purohit and Major Upadhyaya, Sudhakar Chaturvedi,
Mr *** from Apollo hospital, and ***. We discussed the bylaws of Abhinav Bharat and
Purohit said how he would use the organization to fight against the violence perpetrated
against Hindu women – rape and other forms of violence.

I was there for about three hours. I was informed by phone that one of my workers had been
arrested and at 1:00 pm I left the place. I did not meet anyone else that I knew or recognized.

26|12|08, Witness n° 118.

… Istudied up to *** (got diploma in ***) in 1972. Then I started my own little business. In
1980 I was married and my husband’s family lives in Pune and my brother worked in ***
company in Mumbaï. He then moved to Pune and died in 2003. In 2000 I closed my business.

Veer Savarkar was my father in law’s cousin and both he and my father Gopal Godse were
active in the Hind Mahasabha . I was therefore naturally inclined to their ideology but could
not be a full time activist because of my work. After closing my business I became a full time
Hindu Mahasabha worker. I became the head of the women’s wing of the Hindu Mahasabha.

I also worked for the Hindu Mahila Sabha and the Maharashtra Homeopathic Association,
Pune. I am also the curriculum advisor to the Sayukta Stree Sanstha and the Savarkar Smriti
organization of which I am the chairman. At the moment I am the chair person of the Hindu
Mahasabha. About 10 years ago I got the right to Veer Savarkar's writings and essays. Also
my father willed me the rights to all his writings and I oversee the publication of all this
material.
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In Feb 2008 (I don’t remember the exact date) our Calcutta representative Tapan Ghosh
invited me to travel to his city. He had asked me to be chief guest for the inauguration of the
Hindu Sangathana that he had founded. I went to Calcutta and stayed at the Maharashtra
Mandal there. At the inauguration the next day were present Tapan Ghosh, Swami
Asimananda and other Calcutta luminaries and members of the Hindu Mahasabha. The
speeches related to the need for a Hindu Sangathana or organization and the problems created
by an illegal Muslim immigration from Bangladesh as well as the violence against Hindus. All
these subjects featured prominently in the speeches. The next day I visited several places and
people in the company of Tapan Ghosh. I was able to meet many displaced Hindus and
observe the violence and the atrocities they had suffered. I then returned to Poona.

A few years earlier, one of my acquaintances, Samir Kulkarni had founded an organization
called Abhinav Bharat in Madhya Pradesh with the help of his friends and they were looking
after Hindu interests there. But their meetings were not attracting many people. Kulkarni
urged me to accept the chairmanship of Abhinav Bharat. Since at the time the organization
was only engaged in social activity and there was no political aspect to his work, I accepted.
So in April 2008 (either 10 or 11 I don’t remember exactly) a meeting was held in Bhopal
(MP) and I was elected as chairman of Abhinav Bharat at that meeting. I had travelled alone
to Bhopal by rail and Kulkarni came to the station to greet me and I stayed with some people I
knew by the name of Dikshit. A meeting had been called at the Ram Mandir in Bhopal and
there where between 100-150 persons attending. Of them all I knew only Kulkarni. Jammu
and Kashmir Shankaracharya and Sadhvi Pragya Singh were also present.

Kulkarni introduced me to them. The meeting lasted about three hours and the speeches all
discussed the needs for Hindutva and Hindu unity. The speeches called for the foundation of
more gymnasiums, cultural classes, for the propagation o Hindu ideas and for more force to
the Hindutva movement.

After the public meeting ended, there was a private meeting held in a room above the Ram
temple. In that were present the Jammu and Kashmir Shankaracharya, Prasad Purohit, Sadhvi
Pragya, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Major Upadhyaya, Samir Kulkarni, *** and 2 others persons.

Prasad Purohit said that there was a large Muslim population in Malegaon and if something
was done there it would amount to revenge for the violence against Hindus. At which Sadhvi
Pragya said she had persons who could carry out such acts of revenge. No need to worry. Mr
*** expressed opposition to such an idea and we left the meeting. At that time someone from
Delhi kept entering the meeting room in order to distribute water to those present.

When I came out, Dikshit with whom I was staying, had sent someone to fetch me and I went
back with that person and then went back to Pune.

I met Kulkarni some 1 and a half years ago when he was working as a full time member of the
RSS. Since my house is next to Savarkar’s, he would come often and I came to know him
very well. Then he told me he would be in Madhya Pradesh to work for the Abhinav Bharat.

About three months after the Bhopal meeting Abhinav Bharat held another large gathering in
Jabalpur. Some 300 persons attended the meeting which was held in a Dharamsala . Amongst
those present I personally knew Sadhvi Pragya Singh, Shankaracharya, a local female Sadhvi
to whom everyone referred to as Didi, Kulkarni, and Major Upadhyaya. The speeches told
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about launching another anti cow slaughter movement world Hindu consciousness and the
need for Hindu unity. The day after the meeting I left for Delhi where I had some work.

The ideology of Abhinav Bharat was that of Akhand Bharat, changes in the education system,
the spread of peace throughout the country and that everyone in this country was a
Hindustani. Whatever their religious beliefs we say that Muslims living in India must be one
with india, must identify with the country. To say that Malegaon blast was carried out by
members of Abhinav Bharat is something I totally reject. And I say that our workers who have
been arrested such as Samir Kulkarni as Major Upadhyaya or Sudhakar Kulkarni are totally
innocent. I also feel that the others that have been arrested –Sadhvi Pragya, Singh,
Shankaracharya Dayanand Pande, Colonel Prasad Purohit, and others - are also not involved
in the attack. I do not know if they have collected funds in the name of Abhinav Bharat or in
their capacity as office bearers of that organization.

I know colonel Purohit personally, for over two years but our family have ties that go back a
long time. I am a member of the Maharashtra Military Foundation trust founded by colonel
Chitale and since Prasad Purohit always went to them he also came to visit me. Besides he
worships Savarkar and he was always borrowing and returning books by and on Savarkar. He
has never ever spoken to me about the Abhinav Bharat trust – either that he founded it or
about its work. Similarly I do not know if he as involved with the Abhinav Bharat Sangathan
in Madhya Pradesh or if he was working for the same. I know Sadhvi Pragya Singh, Major
Upadhyaya, Shankaracharya Dayanand Pande and Major Upadhyaya and Sudhakar
Chaturvedi but am ignorant of any illegal acts they might have committed. I do not know
Rakesh Ghawde, Ajay Rahirkar, Shivaji, Jagdish Mahtre. I also do not have any acquaintance
of colonel Raikar, Sham Apte, or Sharad Kunte. I am in no way connected to the Malegaon
blasts nor do I have any knowledge whatsoever about that event.