On Monday, the Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court headed by Judge A K Lahoti partially allowed Col Prasad Purohit’s plea seeking the special court’s permission for calling a defence witness for a second time. Col Purohit is a prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon Blast case.
The court imposed a pre-condition on Purohit and asked him to pay a Rs 3,000 fine for calling the witness a second time. On the court’s direction, the lawyer representing Purohit deposited the amount with the registry. The court then allowed deposition of the defence witness Col S V Patil in the court at Tuesday’s hearing.
The special court also directed the defence counsel Viral Babar to produce the defence witness and set his questions around the Parade State Register and the letter dated 11 April 2008 only.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday the Supreme Court will be hearing a petition filed by Sameer Kulkarni, co-accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, challenging the applicability of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA, 1967. A division bench of Justice M M Sundaresh and Justice S C Mishra will hear Kulkarni’s plea.
Mumbai-based Jamiat Ulma-e-Maharashtra led by Arshad Madani is an intervenor in the case. On the Jamiat’s intervention, the Supreme Court turned down an appeal seeking a stay on the entire trial proceeding in the case. Senior Advocate Gaurav Agarwal, Advocate-On-Record George Thomas and Senior Advocate Shahid Nadeem Ansari will represent the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast victims in the court tomorrow.
