2006 Malegaon blasts case: accused seeks discharge

Claiming contradictions in the charge sheet filed by various probe agencies, an accused in the 2006 Malegaon bomb blasts case today urged a special court to discharge him.
Earlier, seven other accused in the same case had also sought discharge on the same ground.
National Investigation Agency (NIA) Counsel Geeta Godambe sought time to file its reply to the discharge plea of the accused, following which the special MCOCA court posted the matter for further hearing to August 29.
Accused Farogh Iqbal Ahmed Makhdumi today filed an application seeking discharge. He pointed out various alleged contradictions in the charge sheet filed by investigating agencies such as ATS, CBI and NIA probing the case.

Earlier, discharge applications were moved by Noorulhuda Samsodhoha, Shabbir Ahmed Masiullah, Raess Ahmed Rajjab Ali Mansuri, Mohammed Zahid Abdul Majid, Abrar Ahmed Gulam Ahmed, Asif Bashir Khan and Mohammed Ali.
Jamiat-Ulema-e-Maharashtra, an NGO, which is providing the accused free legal aid, had filed discharge applications.

The accused alleged they were falsely implicated in the case and urged the court to direct the Commissioner of Police or any other competent authority to initiate a departmental inquiry against erring police and ATS officials.
NIA had concluded that their confession was not voluntary and had been allegedly obtained from the accused under duress, said lawyer Shahid Nadeem Ansari who provides free legal aid to the accused through Jamiat-Ulama-e-Maharashtra.

The court had earlier granted bail to seven accused facing charges in the Malegaon blasts after NIA probed the case and submitted its primary report in November 2011.
Four bombs had exploded in Malegaon on September 8, 2006, killing 37 people, on the occasion of 'Shab-e-Baraat', considered auspicious among Muslims, when they assemble to pay respects to their departed kin.