NIA allowed to conduct tests on 13 accused

The special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court on Monday accepted the consent given by the accused arrested in connection with the Malegaon 2006 blasts, to conduct polygraph and brain mapping tests on them.

The special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court on Monday accepted the consent given by the accused arrested in connection with the Malegaon 2006 blasts, to conduct polygraph and brain mapping tests on them.

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The order was passed after the National Investigating Agency (NIA) moved the court saying they wanted to conduct the two tests on the accused.

“Several new facts have come to light due to the reinvestigation and we moved the court because we wanted to conduct the scientific tests to check these facts,” said special public prosecutor, Rohini Salian.

Salian also said the accused voluntarily gave their consent for the two tests. The schedule will be decided keeping in mind that the accused have undertaken a fast for Ramzan, Salian said.

“We will fix a date and time for the tests as well as decide where we want to take the accused for the tests. The court will pass the final order once we fix the date and time,” Salian said.

The anti-terrorism squad of the Maharashtra police, which investigated the case, had arrested nine persons — Salman Farsi, Shabir Ahmed, Noorulhuda Doha, Rais Ahmed, Mohammed Ali, Asif Khan, Javed Sheikh, Dr Farooque Ansari and Abrar Ahmed — for their alleged involvement in the blasts.

The series of blasts took place near the Hamidia mosque in the Bada Kabristanan in Malegaon around 1.15pm on September 8, killing 37 people and injuring more than 100.