Date:30/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/30/stories/2008123054941000.htm

National

Judicial custody of Malegaon blast suspects extended

Rahi Gaikwad

Malegaon blast case accused Pragya Singh Thakur, Dayanand Pandey and Sameer Kulkarni (centre) and Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit being taken to a sessions court in Mumbai on Monday. — Photo: PTI / Santosh Hirlekar

Mumbai: Additional Sessions Judge R.G. Avachat on Monday extended the judicial custody of 11 Malegaon blast suspects till January 6. The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) wanted the police custody of Sudhakar Chaturvedi. However, as the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court judge was on leave, the matter will be heard on January 6. Chaturvedi has alleged links with the Pune-based Abhinav Bharat.

The Jabalpur police arrived on Monday with a transfer warrant for suspect Sameer Kulkarni in connection with a case of attack on a church on September 18. They sought his transit remand. He will be produced in a Jabalpur court for police custody.

The ATS is on the lookout for three suspects in the Malegaon case. They were earlier identified as Ramji, Bhagwan and Sandeep Dange.

Lt. Col. Prasad Srikant Purohit, who was indicted in cases of forgery registered in Mumbai, Nashik and Pune, has got bail in the first two cases.

The Pune matter is still pending, said his lawyer Shrikant Shivade.