In a stunning revelation, retired Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) inspector Mehiboob Mujawar has claimed he was ordered to arrest Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat in the 2008 Malegaon blast case to fabricate a “saffron terror” narrative. Speaking in Solapur on July 31, 2025, Mujawar’s allegations come on the heels of a special NIA court’s acquittal of all seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit, citing insufficient evidence.

The Malegaon blast on September 29, 2008, killed six and injured 95 in a Muslim-majority area during Ramadan. Initially investigated by the ATS under Hemant Karkare, the case was transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2011. The ATS had alleged that the Hindu extremist group Abhinav Bharat, linked to Thakur’s motorcycle, orchestrated the attack. Mujawar, part of the original ATS team, claimed he was given “confidential orders” to apprehend Bhagwat, along with suspects Ram Kalsangra, Sandeep Dange, and Dilip Patidar, to push a false narrative of Hindu terrorism.

Calling the orders “horrific,” Mujawar refused to comply, citing Bhagwat’s prominence and his belief in their falsehood. He alleges this refusal led to a false case against him, ruining his 40-year career. Mujawar claims to hold documentary evidence but provided no details. He dismissed the “saffron terror” label as “fake,” a sentiment echoed by Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, who called the verdict a rebuke to Congress’s “anti-Hindu” stance.

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The NIA court’s ruling has reignited debates, with victims’ families planning to appeal. Political analysts suggest Mujawar’s claims could fuel tensions, as they question the ATS’s early probe tactics. No official response from the ATS or RSS has been reported, leaving the allegations unverified but deeply contentious.

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