Malegaon blasts case: NIA court defers framing of charges to October 30

A Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Friday deferred framing of charges in 2008 Malegaon blasts case till October 30 as some of the accused were not present in the court.

During the proceedings, the court slammed the accused for being absent during the hearing. It further directed the defence lawyers to make sure that all of them be present in the court on the stipulated date for framing of charges.

Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court has agreed to hear a plea filed by accused Lt Col Purohit on Monday. He had moved the Bombay High Court against the NIA court’s order of rejecting his challenge to Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) sanctions.

Special NIA court on Friday rejected an application filed by Lt Col Purohit to remove UAPA slapped against him in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case.

In December last year, a Special NIA court had dropped charges filed against Lt Col Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and five others under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case.

Purohit was among the 11 persons chargesheeted by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in January 2009, in connection with 2008 Malegaon blasts. As many as six people were killed and nearly 100 others were injured in the blast that took place between Bhikku Chowk and Anjuman Chowk, near Noorani Masjid, at Malegaon in Maharashtra.

Also Read: Malegaon blasts case: NIA court rejects Purohit’s plea challenging prosecution sanction