Malegaon blast accused Lt Col Purohit reports back to Army unit in Mumbai

New Delhi: Soon after walking out of a jail in Maharashtra on bail after nine years, Lt Col Shrikant Prasad Purohit on Wednesday reported to a Southern Command Liaison Unit in Mumbai.

Purohit, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, was released from Taloja jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai earlier today, two days after the Supreme Court granted him bail observing that there were contradictions in the chargesheets filed by different investigating agencies probing the case.

The apex court had set aside the April 25 verdict of the Bombay High Court denying bail to him.

Purohit was escorted by an Army team as he stepped out of the prison .

His suspension continues for now and restrictions on him will be as per the bail conditions.

PTI quoted sources as saying that the Army headquarters will study the SC's order granting him bail and accordingly a call will be taken on whether to revoke his suspension from service.

Asked about the escort provided to Purohit after he came out of the jail, the sources said he was given the protection considering possible security threat to him.

As per rules, under suspension, he will be treated as "under open arrest", wherein usually a soldier is supposed to wear only his uniform but those under suspension can wear civilian clothes as well.

Army sources, however, said a call on whether he can wear his uniform or not will be taken later, IANS said.

Purohit, an officer from intelligence corp, was suspended from service soon after he was arrested in in late 2008.

After the report of the Court of Inquiry (CoI), his salary and allowances were restricted to 25 percent of his total pay but it was increased to 75 percent following an order by the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), the sources said.

Purohit had approached the AFT after the cut in his salary following report of the CoI.

Seven persons were killed and scores injured in the blast, considered to be the handiwork of a right-wing group, Abhinav Bharat.

(With Agency inputs)