Malegaon blast case: Witness retracts statement, declines to identify accused

Malegaon blast case: Another witness has turned hostile and declined to identify an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast that six people and injured over 100.

Another witness in the 2008 Malegaon blast case on Wednesday, March 30, retracted his previously issued statement and has refused to recognize one of the accused, Prasad Purohit, in court. He also said that he never gave a statement to Mumbai ATS.

The next hearing in the case will be held on Thursday.

Six people were killed and over 100 injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Malegaon, a power-loom town in north Maharashtra, on September 29, 2008.

According to the police, the motorbike was registered in BJP leader Pragya Singh Thakur's name, and that led to her arrest in 2008. Lt Col Purohit, who was in the Deolali Army cantonment area, was also arrested at the same time. The accused are being tried under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other relevant laws.

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Seven accused, including Purohit, are facing charges under IPC sections pertaining to murder, criminal conspiracy, and relevant provisions of the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. All the accused are currently on bail.

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