Lt Col Purohit granted bail by Supreme court in Malegaon blast case

New Delhi: In what could be a much awaited breather for 2008 Malegaon blast main accused, Lt Col Purohit, was granted bail by the apex court here on Monday. A bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice RK Agarwal granted bail to Purohit after hearing in detail the arguments from the accused, Purohit and from the other parties including National Investigation Agency (NIA). 

Earlier, a Senior Supreme Court lawyer Harish Salve, appearing for accused Purohit, told the top court that ''I did not want to be discharged in the case at present.'' For the interest of justice, give him (Purohit) the interim bail, Salve pleaded to the apex court. Let the charges be framed in the case, he said. 

Purohit is one of the accused in the Malegaon blast case along with Sadhvi Pragya and others. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Maninder Singh was arguing for the NIA in the case. The NIA was opposing the bail of Purohit and argued that the Bombay High court order should be upheld by the apex court. Mr Salve told the Court that he was allegedly caught in the political crossfire and anti terrorist squad, and he was falsely implicated in the Malegaon blast case. (UNI)