Malegaon 2008 blasts case: Victims oppose hearing on Prasad Purohit, say trial underway
Oct 20, 2023
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 20 : Victims of the Malegaon 2008 bomb blast have written to the Committee on Petitions of Lok Sabha against the hearing on October 25 of one of the accused Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit without obtaining prior sanction for prosecution.
The victims have requested to defy the hearing of the accused on a representation regarding initiating criminal cases against government servants without obtaining prior sanction for prosecution.
According to the letter, the victims also requested the committee to withdraw the petition as it may prejudice the mind of the Special NIA Court/Trial Court, Mumbai.
Hearing Prasad Purohit's view will amount to "Interference in Judiciary and diminishing the Indian Judicial System", the letter mentioned.
On September 29, 2008, six people were killed and over 100 others injured after an explosive device placed on a motorcycle exploded in Maharashtra's Malegaon city, in Nashik town.
On October 23, 2008, the Maharashtra ATS made its first arrest in connection to the case by apprehending BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur.
Later, the other accused, including Sameer Kulkarni, retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Ajay Rahilkar and Sudhakar Chaturvedi were also arrested in connection with the case.
On January 20, 2009, the ATS filed a chargesheet in the case after completing its investigation.
In April 2011, the central government transferred the investigation of the case to the NIA.
Earlier, on April 10 this year, a Special NIA court issued a bailable warrant of Rs 10,000 against an ATS officer for repeatedly not appearing to record his statement in the case trial.
On September 14 this year, the NIA filed an application informing the Special NIA Court that it has completed recording evidence and does not need to call any more witnesses for a statement from their side.
The NIA recorded 323 witnesses in this trial, and apart from these, 37 witnesses turned hostile too.
