The National Investigation Agency has no plans to pursue new allegations that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat was involved in a Hindutva terrorism plot, highly placed officials have told The Hindu.
The allegations were purportedly made by Naba Kumar Sarkar, also known as Swami Aseemanand, a Gujarat-based Hindutva leader now facing trial for his role in a bombing campaign targeting Muslims, in an interview to the New Delhi-based magazine Caravan.
“You can work on this with Sunil. We will not be involved, but if you are doing this, you can consider us to be with you,” Mr. Sarkar claimed Mr. Bhagwat told him.
NIA officials said Mr. Sarkar’s interview had no evidentiary value, since it was conducted while he was in judicial custody. “Any extrajudicial statements he makes are certain to be thrown out by a judge,” a senior NIA officer said, “since his defence will argue he incriminated himself or others under pressure.”
