The National Investigating Agency (NIA) has sought rejection of the application filed by an accused, an alleged member of a Hindutva group, in the 2006 Malegoan blast case opposing the discharge plea of nine Muslim men. The investigators had earlier arrested nine Muslim men, however the NIA, after it took over the probe, found that the blast was the handiwork of a Hindutva organisation. In its application filed this week before the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act Court’s judge Y D Shinde, NIA has said the accused Manohar Singh has no right to be heard (locus standi) in this issue. “As per provisions of law, co-accused has no locus standi in the discharge application filed by any other accused,” NIA has said.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad had arrested Noorul Huda Samsudoha (28), Shabbir Ahmed Masiullah (41), Raees Ahmed Rajab Ali Mansuri (35), Dr Salman Farsi Abdul Latif Aimi (40), Dr Farogh Iqbal Ahmed Magdumi (38), Mohammad Ali Alam Sheikh (42), Asif Khan Bashir Khan alias Junaid (35), Mohammad Zahid Abdul Majid Ansari (31) and Abrar Ahmed Gulam Ahmed (38) in connection with the two blasts. But NIA claimed that the blasts were carried out by a Hindu right-wing group, and arrested Lokesh Sharma, Dhan Singh, Manohar Singh and Rajendra Choudhary. They were charged. The aforesaid nine Muslim men got bail, and filed application for discharge, which is being heard.