Supreme Court dismisses bail plea of Tarn Taran blast case accused

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the bail application of Malkit Singh alias Shera, one of the accused in connection with the blast which took place in Punjab's Tarn Taran district in September last year.

A bench headed by Justice NV Ramana dismissed the plea saying it cannot grant bail to the accused.

The accused Malkit Singh had earlier applied for bail on health grounds in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mohali, both of which were dismissed by the respective courts.

Before the NIA court, he had sought bail contending that he was falsely implicated and that he was a patient of diabetes.

The prosecution had submitted before the NIA court that during the course of investigation incriminating role of the accused had emerged and that he was highly radicalised towards Khalistan movement and he was part of a gang that had planned terrorist activities.

The NIA court observed that evidence pointed to the accused was an active member of the pro-Khalistan terrorist gang, adding that it was of the opinion that there was sufficient ground for believing that accusation against the applicant/accused is prima facie true.

The NIA had in March this year filed a charge sheet against nine accused in connection with Tarn Taran blast case before a special NIA court.

Two persons were killed and one other was injured in the blast, which took place in Tarn Taran on September 4 last year, when the victims were reportedly digging a pit to retrieve a concealed explosive consignment.