A witness who is related to an absconding accused turned hostile in the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-crime-news/article/2008-malegaon-blast-case-another-witness-turns-hostile-30-so-far-23276943" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">2008 Malegaon</a> blast trial here on Wednesday.
He became the 31st prosecution witness to be declared hostile in the case in which BJP MP from Bhopal, <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-crime-news/article/2008-malegaon-blast-case-another-witness-turns-hostile-30-so-far-23276943" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Pragya Singh Thakur</a>, is one of the key accused.
The witness, in his statement to the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), had allegedly said that this absconding accused had met Pragya Thakur on multiple occasions.
Crucially, he had allegedly also told the probe agency that he had seen the absconding accused riding a motorcycle which purportedly belonged to Thakur. The probe agency had claimed that this motorbike was found at the blast site.
But during his deposition on Wednesday, the witness told the court that these statements were not true. Following which, the court declared him as hostile. The court has examined 306 witnesses until now.
Earlier, a retired IPS officer denied while deposing two days ago that he accorded sanction to prosecute the accused in the case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to bolster the theory of "saffron terrorism" being behind such attacks.
Also read: <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-crime-news/article/2008-malegaon-blast-case-another-witness-turns-hostile-30-so-far-23276943" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">2008 Malegaon blast case: Another witness turns hostile, 30 so far</a>
The former officer who was then additional chief secretary (home) also denied, during cross-examination by the defence, that he gave the sanction "without application of mind" and on the instruction of then Maharashtra Home Minister Jayant Patil.
He had, though, shown the sanction order to Patil and obtained his approval before issuing it, the witness said.
The UAPA sanction was given on the basis of the report received from the ATS and also the scrutiny and analysis carried out by the Home and Law and Justice departments, he said.
Six people were killed and more than 100 injured on September 29, 2008, when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Malegaon town in north Maharashtra, some 200 km from Mumbai.
The ATS probed the case initially before the National Investigation Agency took over.
A total of seven accused including Thakur and Colonel Prasad Purohit are facing trial in the case.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
 <script async="async" data-cfasync="false" src="//pl23789885.revenuecpmgate.com/7445444aea29efc3d061cbd866026c06/invoke.js"></script>
 <div id="container-7445444aea29efc3d061cbd866026c06"></div>

The witness, in his statement to the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), had allegedly said that this absconding accused had met Pragya Thakur on multiple occasions

2008 Malegaon blast case: Another witness turns hostile, 31 so far

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast

Home / Mumbai / Mumbai News / Article / 2008 Malegaon blast case: Another witness turns hostile, 31 so far

2008 Malegaon blast case: Another witness turns hostile, 31 so far

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast