Court extends remand of Malegaon blast accused

The judicial remand of eight of the ten accused, including Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, in the Malegaon blast case has been extended till November 29.

The ATS, which produced the eight accused in the case before the jam-packed court of Additional Judge H K Ganatra in Nashik, had sought extension of their judicial remand stating that investigations are on.

Special counsel for ATS Ajay Misar argued before the court that since investigation into the blast was still on, the judicial remand of the accused should be extended.

Meanwhile, the Gujarat Police approached the court for interrogation of nine of the ten accused, which was denied. Deputy Superintendent of Police K K Mysorewala represented the Gujarat Police.

Sadhvi Pragya's lawyer filed an application before the court alleging the ATS had ill treated her besides torturing his client.

Another accused in the case, Major (retd) Ramesh Upadhyay told the court that he was not allowed to send letters, seeking legal help, to his family members in Pune.

Upadhyay said he was not being allowed to communicate with his family, which was against the 'principle of natural justice'.

He also accused the ATS of not providing him certain facilities, applicable under the jail rules.

Sadhvi Pragya, whose lawyer had filed the application on her behalf in English, sought the court's permission to translate the same in Hindi as she didn't understand the language.

She told the court, packed with reporters and policemen besides curious onlookers, that she did not even know what she is being charged for.

"Mujhe maloom nahi mera kasoor kya hai, (I don't know what my crime is)," she said.

Dozens of Shiv Sena activists had gathered outside the court shouting in support of the sadhvi who was the first to be arrested by the ATS.

The investigation into the case came under media and public scrutiny after a serving Army Lt Colonel and certain Hindu religious leaders were arrested in this connection.

With assembly elections in some big states just around the corner, the case has also acquired political colour with the BJP and the Sangh Parivar calling the arrests of the Hindu leaders as 'inspired by political motives'.

The Congress on the other hand has maintained that the law should take its own course.

Maharashtra Director General of Police A N Roy had earlier told PTI that 'at least three persons are still wanted in the September 29 Malegaon blast case in which ten persons have been arrested so far,' adding investigations are still going on.