Malegaon blast: NIA court rejects Lt Col Purohit's plea seeking copies of documents

Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court on Wednesday rejected Lt Col Purohit's application to get copies of photographs and videos related to the Malegaon incident to prepare his defence. Purohit had asked for statements of all the witnesses from ATS and NIA charge sheet.

The special court said rejected his application stating that it is a tactic and a hidden agenda of the applicant to prolong the trial, news agency ANI reported. Earlier this week, the court directed that a copy of photographs and videos pertaining to the 2008 Malegaon blast be provided to Purohit. 

Purohit, in an application filed last week, had asked NIA court to provide him copies of documents. During the argument on Monday, the prosecution objected to his plea, saying no other accused had asked for these documents and that this was a delay tactic.

Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court had earlier on Wednesday refused to stay trial court proceedings and denied relief to Purohit. 

The court adjourned the case for two weeks.

On Monday, the Supreme Court had asked the Bombay HC to hear Purohit's plea challenging the validity of the prosecution sanction for his trial under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi directed the high court that Purohit's plea be dealt with on November 21. 

A special NIA 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. 

Purohit is one of the accused in the Malegaon blast case. 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.

With agency inputs