RTO: Examined 10 parts of bike used in blast

Mumbai: An RTO officer on Friday deposed before the NIA court on Friday in 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case and stated that he had examined 10 parts of the motorcycle that was used in the blast which bore numbers and those numbers were sufficient to identify the owner of the vehicle. He also said that those parts didn’t include the chassis and engine.

While answering questions asked by the special public prosecutor, Avinash Rasal, the witness, told the court that he was attached to the RTO office in Nashik in 2008.  He further stated that after receiving a letter, he went to Forensic Science Laboratory in Nashik to inspect the vehicle. The witness told the court that during the inspection, he noted down numbers mentioned on the vehicle.

During cross-examination by BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh’s lawyer, the witness said that he had noted down 10 items, which were clear and visible. When the lawyer asked him why he had not mentioned about the engine number, the witness replied that he inspected whatever parts were made available to him. He also said that he was not aware of the manufacturing year of the vehicle, which he had inspected.

Seven persons including Thakur, Lt Col Prasad Purohit and retired maj-or Ramesh Upadhyay are facing trial in the case.