Supreme Court Grants Bail To Lt Col Prasad Purohit

• Lt Col Purohit had moved the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court’s order dismissing his bail plea. During the August 17 hearing, senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Lt Col Purohit, had said that he has been in jail for the past nine years, but charges have still not been framed against him.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has granted bail to Lt Colonel Shrikant Prasad Purohit in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. Col Purohit has been in prison for the last nine years.

The National Investigating Agency or NIA had opposed his bail during the last hearing and argued that there was evidence against Lt Col Purohit.

On August 17, the Supreme Court had reserved its verdict on Lt Col Purohit’s plea seeking interim bail. A bench of Justices RK Agrawal and AM Sapre had said it will pass an order on the plea.

Lt Col Purohit had moved the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court’s order dismissing his bail plea. During the hearing, senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Lt Col Purohit, had said that he has been in jail for the past nine years, but charges have still not been framed against him. He said that the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act or MCOCA charge has already been dropped against him and therefore he is entitled to getting interim bail.

Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh, appearing for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said however, that there was some evidence against Lt Col Purohit which would help in framing of charge.

With regard to a plea seeking the cancellation of bail of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, a co-accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, the court posted the matter for hearing on October 10.