Malegaon blast case: Bombay HC denies relief to Lt Col Purohit
Mumbai, Nov 21: On the Supreme Court's directive, the Bombay High Court will on Wednesday hear the plea of Lt. Col. Prasad Shrikant Purohit, one of the accused in the 2008 Malegaon bast case, that he was being prosecuted in the matter without any valid sanction. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi directed the high court that Purohit's plea be dealt with on November 21.
A special court on November 2 had commenced the formal trial against Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and five other accused after framing of charges under various penal law in the Malegaon blast case.
Lt Col Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya charged in 2008 Malegaon blast case: A timeline
Purohit,
in
his
plea,
referred
to
the
earlier
apex
court
order
by
which
the
trial
court
and
the
Bombay
High
Court
were
directed
to
deal
with
the
claim
of
Purohit
that
he
was
being
prosecuted
under
penal
laws
including
the
Unlawful
Activities
(Prevention)
Act
without
any
sanction
from
the
authorities.
The
plea
also
alleged
that
the
charges
have
been
framed
against
Purohit
and
others
by
the
trial
court
which
had
commenced
the
trial
without
dealing
with
the
claim
on
sanction.
Six people were killed and over 100 injured when an explosive device strapped on a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Malegaon, a town about 200 km from north Maharashtra, on September 29, 2008.