Mumbai/Pune: It has been painful to bear the allegations for 17 years, Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit told TOI after being acquitted in the Malegaon blast case on Thursday. Purohit, currently posted in an army unit in Mumbai, said, “I did nothing against my country. There is nothing over the nation. A serving army officer who sacrificed so much while serving the nation, can he be involved in the acts of terrorism?”He spent almost nine years in jail. “I lost the cream period of my active service, faced difficulties on many fronts – personal, professional, family, friendship and social. What was more painful. The more painful that my wife, children (2 sons) and my family members ended these painful years.” At the time of arrest, the priest was with the Army’s Core of Military Intelligence. “I fought for justice to prove that I was never involved in it. The journey was long and unbearable. But I had faith in the judiciary, and today’s decision is a will for my faith, “he said.Pragya Thakur, dressed in saffron clothes, sat in the witness box and broke after the verdict. “I was illegally detained for 13 days and tortured. I was living my life as a monk and a terrorist was labeled. My life was destroyed by allegations,” he said while addressing the court. He said, “This is the victory of Bhagwa, Hindutva has won (Saffron has won, Hindutva has won).”She said that she was at least happy that the judge heard her side. “My life has now become meaningful. Whoever did wrong with us, God will never forgive them,” he said.Referring to the police in the court, he said, “The way those people did illegal work within the law, our life has been ruined. I can’t live a moment peacefully. I want to keep myself alive; maybe I am alive because I am a Sansi. You have maligned Bhagwa.”Sudhakar Chaturvedi, one of the acquitted accused said, “I was implicated and tortured by the police. A bomb was planted at my house. My nails were dropped. This was not a Hindu-Muslim thing. A decision has been given, justice has not been done … It will not be considered justice until we are implicated. ,He said that his legal battle was still on. He said, “The NIA mentions the ATS that a bomb was planted at my house, and I was targeted due to my God dress,” he said that when he was taken into custody ATS, he was forced to take the names of Yogi Aditya and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Major Ramesh Upadhyay (retired) told TOI, “My family and I have passed through pain and pain for 17 years, but today is the day of celebration. Life will be very happy for me after today … On this day, I remember Balasaheb Thackeray, who stood by us.” Another acquitted accused, Sameer Kulkarni, said that when he was arrested, he felt that “a dirty defect” was placed on him. He argued his case; He said that if the other accused had not hired a lawyer, the case would have ended 15 years ago. He accused the rescue and prosecution of prolonging it. The decision, he said, “There is a rebirth for us.”Speaking to the media outside the court, Purohit said, “I am very grateful to the court and all those who stood to understand the matter and justice by me … malicious, and it should not be there. We are a great country, a developing nation.,
