Will never support any statement against martyrs, says Malegaon blast case accused Sameer Kulkarni

Sameer Kulkarni, one of the accused in 2008 Malegaon blast case has said that he would never support any statement against martyrs, irrespective of who makes it.

Speaking at a press conference here on Sunday, Kulkarni was referring to Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks against former Mumbai ATC chief late Hemant Karkare.

Pragya Singh had earlier said that Hemant Karkare died because she had cursed him.

Kulkarni said, "Not only Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur but if anyone else makes such a statement against martyrs, I would never ever supported it".

Kulkarni said that he, along with Pragya Singh Thakur was inhumanly beaten up in jail. "I was arrested for no reason. I am still alive because the media reported about my arrest. Without issuing an arrest warrant, Mumbai ATS arrested so many people in Malegaon blast case."

"We were beaten inhumanly in jail and even Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur was beaten so much that she could not stand on her own," he added.

He further said, "It took 10 years for us to open up in public. Nobody could come to meet us in 10 years time."

He also narrated that he donated blood for 27 times while he was lodged in jail. "I protested and requested the court to let me donate blood...The court gave me permission to do so. Hence, I say that we are not the people who do bloodshed instead we are the ones who donate blood," he added.

"I heard the word bomb blast for the first time when I was arrested and in spite of having no role in Malegaon blast case, I was put behind the bars for nine years," he said.

He further added, "Hemant Karkare had told me that you may not have any role in this matter but I want to do some tests on you...The day he did our tests and said you have no role in this case, no one from the police department had beaten us up from the next day."

"If Karkare would have been alive I would have been acquitted long back," he added.

Rakesh Dhawade another accused of Malegaon blast case said, "I have been tortured for 62 days and I was beaten inhumanly."

"Nobody even human rights organisation came to my help. I was kept arrested 5-6 days without any producing any documents, " he added.

Dhawade said, "If these politicians come in power again then whatever happened to me may happen with anyone else again. I only want to say that that time the government has harassed me for long hence I urge all to not let this government come in power again.