Mumbai: Former Maharashtra Director General of Police A N Roy said Saturday that he was “extremely disturbed” by BJP candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur‘s comment that former ATS chief Hemant Karkare died due to her `curse’.
Roy was the state’s top police officer when the Anti-Terrorism Squad headed by Karkare probed the blast case.
Thakur, an accused in the case who is out on bail, is under fire for saying that Karkare died in the 26/11 terror attack because she had cursed him for `torturing’ her when he probed the Malegaon blast as chief of the ATS.
“Ever since my superannuation from the IPS, I have never spoken to media on police matters. However, I am extremely disturbed to see this most ugly attack on my former IPS colleague late Hemant Karkare,” Roy said in a statement.
“I totally condemn any such attack from the accused or any one against this martyred officer who made the supreme sacrifice of his life fighting the terrorists in Mumbai. It is most objectionable, unethical and immoral,” he added.
Karkare led the blast probe “most professionally”, he added.
“I stand by my officer and colleague who is not alive to defend himself. I stand by the professional and impartial investigation done without any external influence or bias,” said Roy.
Thakur is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Bhopal on BJP ticket.
After her remark created a furore, she apologised.
On Friday, associations of serving as well as former IPS officers had condemned Thakur’s remark.