2008 Malegaon blast case: SC grants bail to accused Lt Col Purohit

The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to accused Lt Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit in 2008 Malegaon blast case.A bench of Justices RK Agrawal and AM Sapre passed an order on the accused's bail plea.

Earlier on August 17, the apex court reserved its order on the bail plea of Lieutenant Colonel Purohit.

Senior lawyer, Harish Salve, appearing for Lieutenant Colonel Purohit told the court that he did not want to be discharged from the case at present, but for the interest of justice, wants an interim bail.

Salve told the apex court that Lieutenant Colonel Purohit was allegedly caught in the political crossfire and was falsely implicated in the case.

Opposing Lieutenant Colonel Purohit's bail plea, the National Investigative Agency (NIA) argued that the Bombay High court order should be upheld by the apex court.

Lieutenant Colonel Purohit's bail plea was earlier rejected by the Bombay High Court saying the charges against him were of a grave nature, after which he moved the top court.

Lieutenant Colonel Purohit, a former military intelligence officer, is one of the accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts along with Sadhvi Pragya and others. Sadhvi Pragya has been granted relief in the case by the Bombay High Court.

The 2008 Malegaon serial blasts claimed 4 lives and left nearly 79 injured.