Swami Aseemanand

Swami Aseemanand (born Naba Kumar Sarkar) is a self-proclaimed monk and a former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activist who was accused in the Ajmer Dargah bombing, Mecca Masjid blast, and the 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings— before being acquitted of all charges.

Aseemanand hailed from West Bengal and was a post-graduate in physics. He was inducted into Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu organisation at an early age, and then joined Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram

After being arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation, on cues from a primary suspect he recorded a confession, in which he admitted to committing the attacks. He was subsequently charged by the NIA; Aseemanand alleged custodial pressure behind the confessions and rejected any involvement. NIA Special court accepted his claim, and went on to rule that the prosecutors had failed to prove their case, otherwise.

In February 2014, a controversy erupted over interviews given by Swami Aseemanand to an advocate-reporter of The Caravan magazine while in Ambala Central Jail. Aseemanand claimed the contents of the interview to be faked which were based on a sting-operation and threatened legal action; the magazine rejected the charges and released transcripts alleged to be of the interviews.