2008 Malegaon blast case: Bombay HC denies bail to Lt Col Prasad Purohit

Read: Bombay HC grants bail to Sadhvi Pragya

Since his arrest in 2008, Purohit had applied for bail several times.

The National Investigating Agency (NIA) while concluding its arguments during the hearing of the application before the High Court had said there was prima facie evidence of audio and video recordings, call detail, and witness statements, to suggest that Purohit played a major role in conspiring and executing the blasts.

Purohit, on the other hand, had argued that NIA was selective in exonerating only some accused in the case and he had been made a “scapegoat” in the case.

He has sought bail on the ground that the evidence against him was manufactured by the Anti-Terrorism Squad.

Purohit’s counsel Shrikant Shivde had further argued that keeping him under prolonged detention without bail, or a trial, was a crime.

Moreover, Purohit was a military intelligence officer for the Indian Army and he participated in the conspiracy meetings, only to “gather intelligence for the Army.”