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Purohit’s police custody extended
| He played a key role in the commission of the offence: ATS |
Lt. Col. Shrikant Purohit, arrested for his alleged role in the Malegaon blast, arrives at the KEM hospital in Mumbai on Saturday for a medical check-up.
Nashik: A court here on Friday extended the police custody of Lieutenant-Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit, a suspect in the Malegaon blast of September 29, by three days till November 18. Purohit was produced in the court as his custody ended on Friday.
Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) special prosecutor Ajay Misar said that Purohit had played a “key role in the commission of the offence."
“He attended secret meetings, played an active role in these meetings and was in constant touch with suspects Pragnya Singh Thakur and Dayanand Pandey. Another suspect, Ajay Rahirkar, transferred a huge amount of Rs.3,98,500 to Purohit’s account in December 2007. Rahirkar transferred the money to accounts of other suspects as well on Purohit’s direction. Purohit played a key role in hawala transactions of Rs.10 lakh. He worked for Abhinav Bharat, was well conversant with arms and RDX, and had directed suspects to delete his numbers from mobile phones," argued Mr. Misar.
It was alleged that Rahirkar gave Rs.2,50,000 to a builder in Nashik, again at the instance of Purohit. “What the money was used for has to be probed.” Mr. Misar did not reveal the builder’s identity.
Purohit also attended a secret meeting in Raigad in July 2006, and another in Jabalpur in June 2008. He was part of a training camp in Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh, from October 16 to 21, 2006.
“No ill-treatment”Judge H K Ganatra rejected the application filed by Purohit’s relative, charging the ATS with ill-treatment and custodial torture. Purohit, who appeared emotionally distraught, told the court, at the start of the hearing, that he had no complaints against the police and that he was not being beaten.
After the arguments, the judge asked everyone to leave the court. Purohit’s face was reportedly uncovered. “It showed no injury marks,” Mr. Misar claimed.
Purohit’s lawyer Avinash Bhide had asked for a medical examination of Purohit. This plea was also rejected as Mr. Misar submitted documents of six medical examinations. The injuries mentioned are from an alleged “fall” in Jammu and Kashmir in 2001, Mr. Misar told the court.
The court, however, allowed Purohit to meet his relatives.
Mr. Bhide told the court that the ATS’ claims were not reflected in Purohit’s remand report. He took strong exception to media reportage of the case, especially of Purohit’s narco test results. .
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