Malegaon blast: Army officer denied bail by apex court

NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court Monday declined to grant bail to the 2008 Malegaon bombings accused and army officer Prasad Shrikant Purohit, saying the offence was of a serious nature.

It is a serious offence which claimed many lives leaving behind more than 100 injured,” said an apex court bench of Justice Markandey Katju and Justice T.S. Thakur, while declining the plea for bail.

However, the court admitted the petition filed by Purohit and directed its listing for an early hearing.

Purohit was a lieutenant colonel in the Indian army at the time of his arrest in connection with his involvement in the Malegaon bomb blasts in Maharashtra.

In 2008, Malegaon town was rocked by blasts which claimed seven lives and left more than 100 injured.

Counsel for Purohit said that his client was booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and the same could not be invoked against him.

He said that even the MCOCA trial court had held that Purohit could not be booked under the control of organized crime law and he was entitled to bail.

Even though Purohit was discharged by the special MCOCA court, he could not get bail. The bail had to be granted by a regular court, the counsel told the court.

The court earlier declined a plea by the Maharashtra government seeking adjournment of the case on the grounds of filing more documents to support its plea opposing Purohits plea for bail.

The court said that it could not appreciate such requests and moved on with the hearing of the case.