2008 Malegaon blast: One more witness turns hostile

One of the accused Sudhakar Chaturvedi had stayed in the witness’ house in Lucknow between March 2006 and June 2007. The witness accepted that he had given the statement to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) but refused to recognise Chaturvedi or remember anything because of the time that has lapsed over the years.

The special court hearing the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case declared one more witness hostile on Tuesday. One of the accused Sudhakar Chaturvedi had stayed in the witness’ house in Lucknow between March 2006 and June 2007.

On September 29, 2008, a powerful bomb exploded outside a religious shrine in which six persons were killed and about 100 others were injured. (AFP file photo)

The witness accepted that he had given the statement to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) but refused to recognise Chaturvedi or remember anything because of the time that has lapsed over the years. He also said that at the time when Chaturvedi stayed there, he was very young.

The prosecution hence declared him hostile and in cross examination confronted the witness with his statement recorded by the NIA. He later accepted that Chaturvedi had stayed at their house and a temporary pass belonging to Chaturvedi by the Army was seized from the house.

Chaturvedi, alleged to be a member of Abhinav Bharat, was accused of being a part of the conspiracy behind the September 2008 bomb blast at Malegaon. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which investigated the case initially, had alleged that he was present at all the conspiracy meetings held by the accused for the formation of the Central Hindu Government (Aryawart) and put forth the idea of forming this government in exile in Israel and Thailand.

On September 29, 2008, a powerful bomb exploded outside a religious shrine in which six persons were killed and about 100 others were injured. On October 23, 2008, ATS made its first arrests in the case by apprehending Sadhvi and two of her associates. On January 20, 2009, ATS filed a chargesheet in the case after completing its investigation, and on April 1, 2011, the central government had transferred further investigations into the case to NIA.