A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Friday deferred framing of charges in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case till October 30 as some of the accused were not present in the court.
The court directed all the defence lawyers to make sure that all of them should be present on the stipulated date for framing of charges. The Bombay High Court has already directed an expedited hearing in the case earlier this week.
The high court has also agreed to hear Lt Col Prasad Purohit's appeal on October 29. Lt Col Purohit had moved the court against the order of the special NIA court that had rejected his challenge to Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) sanctions. The NIA court had asserted that the prosecution of Lt Col Purohit under UAPA is valid.
Six people were killed while more than a hundred got injured in the blast that took place on September 29, 2008, in the Muslim majority town of Malegaon in Maharashtra.
In November 2008, the Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested 11 people in connection to the blasts. In April 2011, the investigation was transferred to the NIA.