‘I Know My Responsibility, I Can Prove What I Have Said About the NIA’ Interview with Rohini Salian
transcript of the interview Rohini Salian,
the Mumbai special prosecutor retained by the National Investigation Agency to
handle the Malegaon 2008 bomb blast case involving Hindutva extremists, gave Sreenivasan
Jain of NDTV on her allegation that the NIA asked her to go “soft” on
the accused. The interview was telecast on June 29, 2015.
Sreenivasan Jain: Hello and welcome to this NDTV
exclusive. The Malegaon blast case of 2008 has been at the centre of
a controversy ever since the anti-terror squad in Maharashtra probing it
alleged that it was Hindutva extremists behind the blast. Now, even after the
NIA has taken over the case, a fresh controversy has surrounded this particular
investigation, with allegations being made by none other than a special
prosecutor handling the case, Rohini Salian, that she has been asked to go soft
on the case since there has been a change of regime. The NIA forces rebutted
this but lets get Rohini Salian to respond to all these questions in what
is her first exclusive television interview, here in her chambers in Mumbai.
Thank you very much indeed ma’am for joining us.
Rohini Salian: Thank you
Sreenivasan Jain: Now you said in your first interview that you were asked to go soft
in this particular case by someone in the NIA. The NIA has subsequently come
out and said that they have checked and no such officer has given you such
instructions. But you still stand by this?
Rohini Salian: Yes, I still stand by it. I swear
by it.
Sreenivasan Jain: You swear by it?
Rohini Salian: Yes.
Sreenivasan Jain: You swear by what exactly?
Rohini Salian: What I have said.
Sreenivasan Jain: Yes, but just for the record
if you could repeat it. What exactly happened?
Rohini Salian: Yes, somebody has come to me and
told me to go soft.
Sreenivasan Jain: And this person was who?
Rohini Salian: From NIA
Sreenivasan Jain: A member of the NIA?
Rohini Salian: Yes.
Sreenivasan Jain: And when did this happen
exactly?
Rohini Salian: Initially it happened somewhere
in between May and June last year.
Sreenivasan Jain: Between May and June last
year?
Rohini Salian: Yes.
Sreenivasan Jain: So this is somewhere last
year, after the government changed in new Delhi.?
Rohini Salian: Yes
Sreenivasan Jain: I see, and what did this
gentlemen say to you exactly? I mean did he say just to go soft or did he
elaborate? Who has given him these instructions?
Rohini Salian: No, he has not elaborated. He
only called me first, that he wanted to meet me. Then I called him. He came to
our court and in the court itself, in the corridor he told me about it..
Sreenivasan Jain: And he said that…?
Rohini Salian: He said that it is instruction
from up. I don’t know who is that.
Sreenivasan Jain: Instruction from above…?
Rohini Salian: Yes
Sreenivasan Jain: But he didn’t clarify what he
meant by doing so
Rohini Salian: No
Sreenivasan Jain: And who is this gentlemen in
the NIA who told you this?
Rohini Salian: I don’t want to name him.
Sreenivasan Jain: But if it comes to it, will
you be able to prove it?
Rohini Salian: Yes
Sreenivasan Jain: You will be able to prove it.?
Rohini Salian: Yes
Sreenivasan Jain: And how will you be able to
prove the fact that this incident took place?
Rohini Salian: At this stage I don’t want to
reveal it.
Sreenivasan Jain: Okay. I am only asking you
this because the matter could escalate in the court.
Rohini Salian: Yes I understand
Sreenivasan Jain: With the NIA contesting it
Rohini Salian: I know my responsibility. That I
am accountable to public.
Sreenivasan Jain: Now tell me, the NIA has also
said that this case is not even reached the trial stage yet, so where is the
question of going soft? To that what would say?
Rohini Salian: So I have been arguing this
matter during the ATS also, right from day one, all bail applications, all
miscellaneous applications, and all applications, I have been drafting the
replies as well as arguing the matter. Right from beginning, even after NIA
took over, I was asked in writing to continue. So where is the question of
beginning trial? Because all issues are very important at this stage also, it
is the question of retaining MCOCA and allowing them to go on bail.
Sreenivasan Jain: So even now there are very
important aspects of the case which have to be determined like whether or not
the Maharashtra Organized Crime Act will apply to this particular case, whether
the accused will go on bail
Rohini Salian: Correct
Sreenivasan Jain: So one can’t say that this is
some unimportant time
Rohini Salian: No. This is the most crucial
time, I would say.
Sreenivasan Jain: But you are saying, and this
is again something which is very significant, you are saying that that this
whole shift has happened, you said, after the new government took charge. You
sensed some sort of change in mood. What exactly has changed, and one thing I
want to ask you, why are you bringing this up now? That is what people are
asking.
Rohini Salian: Correct. Because at that stage I
felt.. it’s not my.. I should say something about it unless I have enough
proof. So it may be an instruction. One doesn’t know. But ‘soft’ – I
don’t know what exactly is the meaning of ‘soft’. Because by then I argued all
the matters, all the matters were pending in the Supreme Court. So there was no
question of arguing also.
Sreenivasan Jain: So what triggered it? What
exactly then provoked you to go public? You were waiting for evidence?
Rohini Salian: Yes. Finally the matter was
decided in the Supreme Court. All the issues were pending and it has come back
now. Now it’s the time to go in to trial, exactly leading evidence and all.
Sreenivasan Jain: This is the most important
time?
Rohini Salian: Yes. And the direction of the
honorable Supreme Court is go for a special court, special judge, every
direction is there. So that means the trial will commence soon. So at this
stage, there is somebody coming and saying that now your service are not
required, it’s very clear.. at this stage I felt something very very serious is
going on. So I felt I should tell this to the general public.
Sreenivasan Jain: I see, this is when you are
referring to the fact that someone came to you and said that now the NIA no
longer need your services?
Rohini Salian: Correct.
Sreenivasan Jain: This happened when? In this month
itself ?
Rohini Salian: In June.
Sreenivasan Jain: In June, the current month.
Rohini Salian: Because 2 days earlier to the
regular date, I was approached by the same officer and he said, this is
instruction from up, so somebody else will appear in this matter. I said
okay, there is no problem. In fact I told him, ” I expected this, good you have
told me earlier.”
Sreenivasan Jain: Did he give any explanation?
Why you have being removed?
Rohini Salian: No. I did ask him
whether there is something in writing. He said ‘No’. Then I said, I don’t mind.
I will not appear henceforth in any of the matters which were pending also.
Like I had appeared in one matter for….
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