2008 Malegaon blast case: UAPA applicability order against accused on Oct 19

In December last year, the special court had said that while charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act should be dropped, the accused will face charges under UAPA and other sections of the IPC, including murder and criminal conspiracy.

Last month, the court heard arguments from the accused, including Pragya Singh Thakur, Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, Sameer Kulkarni, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi and Sudhakar Chaturvedi, objecting to the validity of the sanction. The National Investigation Agency, which had taken over the probe from the Maharashtra ATS, submitted through Special Public Prosecutor Avinash Rasal that the sanction was valid and that charges under the anti-terror law applied in the case.

A blast had taken place in Malegaon town near Nashik on September 9, 2008, killing six persons and injuring 101. Once the court decides on the UAPA sanction, it will proceed to frame charges against the accused, who are all out on bail.