A special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in Mumbai on Tuesday fixed February 2 for hearing arguments on the charges in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, in which seven perso
A special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in Mumbai on Tuesday fixed February 2 for hearing arguments on the charges in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, in which seven persons were killed and 79 others were injured. The matter is pending in court without trial for the past seven years.
Special public prosecutor Avinash Rasal, while confirming the news, told The Asian Age that the court would hear the arguments on charges in February. Advocate Rasal is appearing on behalf of National Investigating Agency in this case.
Prosecution and defence lawyers are heard on charges before charges are framed on accused and framing of charges is the first step towards commencing a trial.
The trial in the case could not begin as the accused in the case had challenged application of MCOCA on them and then various applications, including bail pleas, were pending before the court.
Initially the ATS under the guidance of late IPS officer Hemant Karkare had cracked this case and later NIA took over further investigation. But the NIA is yet to file its report on progress of investigation.
A total 12 accused, including Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, were arrested in connection with this case and forensic reports had showed use of highly explosive substances like RDX and ammonium nitrate in the bomb.
Following this, the accused were charged with serious provisions of law like criminal conspiracy, murder and relevant provisions of Explosive Substance Act, Arms Act, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and MCOCA. Out of 12 accused four are already on bail.
