A day after a magazine claimed that Swami Aseemanand had implicated RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in several terror attacks, the former has denied giving any such interview.
In a handwritten letter, Aseemanand said he never gave any interview to the magazine or implicated the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or its chief for sanctioning several recent terror attacks.
The letter has been accessed several news channels and the details have been shared on air.
While dubbing the magazine report as fabricated, Aseemanand said he was planning legal action against the publicaton.
The magazine has however stood by its report.
While Aseemanand has admitted to meeting the magazine’s reporter who he said came disguised as a lawyer, he has denied giving any such interview.
“On 9th January, 2014, Leena R came to meet me in the jail. I saw her several times as a reporter in the Panchkula court. But on 9th January she came as an advocate and wanted to help me. I refused her proposal… Then she requested me to discuss social work… The story she mentioned in the article is totally false and fabricated. I will take legal action,” he wrote in the letter.
The magazine had yesterday quoted Aseemanand as saying that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had sanctioned the 2007 Samjhauta Express, Hyderabad Mecca Masjid and Ajmer Dargah blasts.
Aseemanand is himself an accused in these blasts.
As per the magazine, Aseemanand had claimed that Bhagwat sanctioned the attacks when he was the RSS general secretary. Bhagwat had specifically told Aseemanand that the attacks should not be linked to the RSS, the magazine report alleged.
The magazine had issued a press release and quoted Bhagwat as telling Aseemanand that “it is very important that it be done. But you should not link it to the Sangh”.
As per the magazine, the article was based on a series of interactions held with the blasts accused.
The magazine yesterday also released audio tapes and transcripts of the interview to prove its claim.
The Sangh has rubbished the allegations as baseless, dubbing the interview as “rubbish and concocted”.
Sangh spokesperson Ram Madhav said “attempts have been made earlier also to defame the organisation”.
“The timing gives a feeling that it is a political conspiracy. Someone is seeking political advantage by raking up this old issue,” Madhav said.
“Aseemanand himself has denied making such statements both inside and outside court… the authenticity of the interview is suspected,” he added.
