Malegaon blasts accused gets army pay

Lieutenant Colonel Shrikant Purohit, who was allegedly involved in the September 2008 Malegaon blasts and is currently lodged in a Maharashtra jail, continues to draw his pay and allowances from the army, despite serious terror charges against him.

Lieutenant Colonel Shrikant Purohit, who was allegedly involved in the September 2008 Malegaon blasts and is currently lodged in a Maharashtra jail, continues to draw his pay and allowances from the army, despite serious terror charges against him.

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According to information revealed under the RTI Act, Purohit "is in full receipt of pay and allowances till date."

The reply said the principal controller of Defence Accounts in Pune has not received any communication regarding the "judiciary matters" concerning Purohit for further action relating to pay and allowances.

The NIA has sought Purohit's custodial interrogation but the matter is pending before the Supreme Court.

After Purohit was arrested in November 2008, the army had ordered a court of inquiry which recommended that the officer be dismissed from service.

But Purohit, a military intelligence officer, challenged the findings of the probe in the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), claiming the key witnesses had been examined in his absence and he wasn't given the chance to cross-examine them.

The AFT directed the army to conduct a fresh probe. Army sources said the second inquiry had been completed and the report had been sent to the defence ministry.

"Purohit remains a serving army officer till the time he is not dismissed. Serving officers are entitled to full pays," a senior officer said.