Lt Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit, the main accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast. File photo: PTINew Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Lt Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit, the main accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast which killed seven people.
A bench of justice R.K. Agrawal and justice Abhay Manohar Sapre granted conditional bail to Purohit asking him not to tamper with evidence.
Purohit had told the apex court that till date charges have not been framed against him while those under the MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) have already been dropped.
He told the court that he has been in jail for the past nine years and was entitled to bail.
Purohit has challenged the April 25 Bombay High Court order which granted bail to another accused, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, but rejected his plea.
At least seven people were killed in the explosion in Malegaon in Nashik district on September 29, 2008. The investigating agencies had earlier allegedly attributed the blast to right-wing group Abhinav Bharat.
'Purohit to be attached to army unit, remain under suspension'
Lt colonel Shrikant Prasad Purohit will be attached to an army unit but will remain under suspension from service, informed sources said.
Purohit was suspended from service on January 20, 2009, after his arrest. The sources said he continues to be under suspension, but since he has now been ordered to be released on bail, he has to be attached to an army unit.
He is likely to report back to the unit from where he was arrested. His suspension will thereafter be reviewed, the sources said.
Under suspension, he will be treated as 'under open arrest', wherein usually a soldier is supposed to wear only his uniform. Purohit, under suspension, can wear civilian clothes as well.
His stay in his army unit will come along with restrictions, like limited area of movement, not leave the station without permission and reporting daily.
He will also not be allowed to attend any public event or gathering. Purohit's return to active duty will depend on the final verdict in the case, the sources said.
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