"NIA is NAMO Investigation Agency": Congress on Malegaon blast case clean chit

The Congress on Friday dubbed NIA as "NAMO Investigation Agency", alleging there was "politically partisan misuse" in the Malegaon blast case after the agency in a complete U-turn dropped all charges against Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and five others.

"Malegaon case shows that NIA has become 'NAMO Investigation Agency' to exonerate those having allegiance to BJP by hook or crook", Congress spokesman Gaurav Gogoi told reporters.

Separately, the party's Chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala said, "The NIA under Modi ji has become 'Namo Investigation Authority' purely aimed at giving clean chit to the BJP, RSS affiliated leaders in various criminal cases." Gogoi claimed that whatever instructions come from the "leadership in Delhi", that approach will be taken by the National Investigation Agency(NIA) and this bias was also confirmed by the Public Prosecutor when she said there was "pressure" on her in this case.

Gogoi made a strong pitch for a Supreme Court monitored probe in the case. He wanted strictest standards of investigation to be conducted in terror cases.

"Unfortunately, after entry of the new Government, it almost pre-ordained that those who are linked to the case and have linkages to RSS affiliated organizations will be one day let go scot free", he remarked.

In a series of tweets, Surjewala said, "Collective conscience of Nation is shocked by politically partisan misuse of NIA in giving clean chit to Pragya in Malegaon Blast Case".