2 seek discharge from case

Khan and Bashir,who are facing trial in the July 2006 Mumbai serial train blasts case,pointed out contradictions in the earlier chargesheets by Maharashtra ATS,CBI and the recent one by NIA.

The ATS had relied on soil samples from the godown of Shabbir Masiullah alias Batterywala. According to its chargesheet,soil samples collected from Masiullah’s godown had shown RDX traces. However,NIA re-examined two “star witnesses”,both Malegaon residents,on whose statements the ATS case was built. According to the NIA,these two claimed that they had never been to the spot and had not testified to any recovery from Masiullah’s godown.

Masiullah faces charges of being the key conspirator and having procured explosives from Mumbai with the help of Khan and Shaikh.

According to NIA’s chargesheet,Lokesh Sharma,deceased Sunil Joshi,Dhan Singh,Rajendra Chaudhary,Manohar Narwaria,and absconding accused Ramchandra Kalsangra and Nanded resident Ramesh Venkat Mahalkar alias Amit Hakla are responsible for the blast.

HC seeks chargesheets

In a PIL seeking criminal action against senior IPS officers including former Maharashtra ATS chief K P Raghuvanshi for the alleged false implication of nine Muslim men in the 2006 Malegaon blasts case,Bombay HC Wednesday asked the petitioner to submit the chargesheets filed by ATS,CBI and NIA. The court also asked petitioner’s lawyer Ejaz Naqvi to amend his petition to make the relief sought clearer. The court will hear the case after two weeks.