9 accused in 2006 Malegaon blast case, seek bail

Nine persons arrested in connection with the 2006 Malegaon blasts on Tuesday moved a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court, seeking bail in the wake of Swami Aseemanand's confession pointing to a right-wing group's involvement in the case.

Nine persons arrested in connection with the 2006 Malegaon blasts on Tuesday moved a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court, seeking bail in the wake of Swami Aseemanand's confession pointing to a right-wing group's involvement in the case.

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"From the confession it is clear that those responsible for the 2006 Malegaon blasts are persons far removed from the current accused," they said in the bail plea.

Further the accused have said that they have been in jail for past four years and 'there is no direct evidence of their involvement in the said offence and was only based on forcibly taken confession statement'.

Aseemanand, who was arrested in November 2010 for his alleged role in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blasts, in his confession, recorded before the magistrate in December, had said that a right-wing group was responsible for the 2006 blasts, which killed 37 people and injured more than 100.

The blasts took near Hamidia Mosque in the Bada Kabristan at around 1:15 pm on Friday on September 8, 2006, after the prayers of the Shab-e-Barat.

The police had arrested nine persons - Salman Farsi, Shabir Ahmed, Noorulhuda Doha, Rais Ahmed, Mohammed Ali, Asif Khan, Javed Sheikh, Dr Faroogue Ansari and Abrar Ahmed - for their alleged involvement in the blasts.

In December 2006, the case was handed over to the CBI.

The special court has directed the investigation agency to file their reply by January 28.