Will challenge NIA’s findings, say kin, lawyers of accused

Terming the 2006 Malegaon blast investigation as politically influenced, family members and lawyers representing the accused have claimed that they plan to challenge the charge sheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Gopal Krishna Sharma, 65-year-old father of Lokesh Sharma, who works as priest at a temple in Indore, said that his son was falsely implicated in the case. “I have faith in the judiciary. The police are harassing my son. He was earlier arrested in a false case of murder of a Congressman in 2002, in which he has been acquitted. I am sure he will come out free this time too,” said Gopal Sharma.

Vikram Sharma, the lawyer who represented Sharma, said that the charge sheet filed by NIA was illegal. “We will approach every forum possible for justice,” he said.

Prashant Maggu, who represented Dhan Singh, said, “The agency has not sought discharge of the other accused arrested by the previous agency, which is contradictory to the law. We will prepare our defence on the basis of the evidence presented before the court by all the agencies.”

“The charge sheet is politically influenced. The entire exercise was to release the accused arrested by the previous investigating agencies,” said JP Mishra, lawyer for Rajendra Choudhary.