Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut on Saturday alleged that late Hemant Karkare-led Anti Terror Squad (ATS) acted against Pragya Singh Thakur in the Malegaon blast case under pressure from the UPA government. Thakur is BJP's candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency. Raut told ANI, "Congress was in power then. Everyone knows that ATS was under pressure".

Defending Thakur, Raut advocated that people should feel her pain. "We should understand Sadhvi's feelings and her pain," Raid said here.