Statements of witnesses in Malegaon blasts case go missing


Mumbai, Apr 7 (PTI): Confessional statements of some witnesses in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case are reported to be "missing" from the special MCOCA court here, prompting the authorities to mount a search for those.

The issue came to light earlier this week when staff of the special court approached former Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian to inquire about whether she had with her some of the confessional statements of witnesses in the case.

"I was surprised when such a query was made to me. The court staff asked whether I had confessional statements of six or seven crucial witnesses recorded before a magistrate.

"I conveyed that all documents had been handed over to the new Special Public Prosecutor Avinash Rasal in presence of NIA officers and, in any case, the originals were in the court records only," Salian said.

The witnesses whose statements have gone missing include those of a close aide of Ramji Kalsangra who had "confessed" before a magistrate about the criminal conspiracy hatched to plant explosives in Malegaon in Maharashtra.

Two low-intensity explosions in Malegaon on September 29, 2008, had left seven people dead. The Maharashtra police's Anti Terrorist Squad, which investigated the case before it was handed over to CBI and later to NIA in 2011, arrested a dozen odd accused, including self-styled Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and serving Indian Army officer Lt Col Srikant Purohit.

Rasal, however, contended that the files were not missing and said, "They may have been misplaced and we are looking for them.

"You see, this case is being heard in various courts including Supreme Court of the country. There is a possibility that it could have been misplaced and it will be found," he said.

If Worse comes to worst and the statements are not found, the NIA will take the permission of the court and lead the xerox copies of the same statements as "secondary evidence".

Salian, however, contended that statements recorded under 164 are always primary evidence and the files going missing could have a bearing on the case.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Vantage Point, mangalore

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    Terrorists are chanting NAMO NAMO...

    DisAgree [5] Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    BJP is desperately trying to protect Col Purohit, Rakesh Dhawde, Ajay Rahirkar & Sadhvi Pragya Thakur ...

    DisAgree [6] Agree [23] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shashi, Manipal

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    chi chi tu tu shame on government

    DisAgree [7] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • MASTHAN, DUB

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    BJP STEAL THE FILE.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [23] Reply Report Abuse

  • P. Shirish Kumar Hosabettu, Muscat, Mangalore

    Fri, Apr 08 2016


    Mastan steal & handed over the file to neighbours

    DisAgree [6] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Prem, Q8

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    Its all bull..hit andaa kanoon in india. Jungle raj is emerging in bjp regime .ITs all diverting some part of media From pANANam SCAM to MALen gavon Blast ,,panama now sinking in sea. Jootley. Getting under the table ,, sushma assisting humanitarian help to BlACk money holderz to hide money in Mars planet

    DisAgree [5] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • MASTHAN, DUB

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    THESE TERRORISTS SADHVI ALSO SAY BHARAT MATA KI JAI.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse

  • Vincent Rodrigues, Frazer Town,B'lore

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    THIS MAY BE THE WORK OF THE ACCUSED WITH THE AID OF MODI,THE GREAT

    DisAgree [7] Agree [21] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ravi C, mangalore

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    Hahahaha... Sign of acche din.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • stan, dubai

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    Statements of witnesses in Malegaon blasts case go missing, after some time they will tell Malegaon blast person missing than they will change the place Malegoan and they will tell Malegoan missing????? In India everything is possible.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dev Kumar, Mangalore/Surat

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    Humhare Desh..Humhare Zamin..Humhare Log.
    Barbad huhe terrorism ke chakkar mein.
    Will not tolerate any more....
    Safety of our people is utmost our first concern.
    Nor france will come to defend..nor belgium...or nor america.
    We know very well how to protect our people.

    DisAgree [14] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rakib, Mangalore

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    Since this case belongs to patriotic terrorist all hails to Modi

    DisAgree [6] Agree [28] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dev Kumar, Mangalore/Surat

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    Circumstances made them to act.
    Otherwise they born saint.
    To defend nation and it's people is not a crime.
    Mullanu mullinda tegaya beku..

    DisAgree [33] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rakib, Mangalore

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    Dev Kumar, Mangalore/Surat

    This is what taught in Shakha which inspires you.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dev Kumar, Mangalore/Surat

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    It teaches to defend nation..and not to divide.
    See the difference. More than 60,000 shakhs worldwide. After transforming to pant..more youths joined-in.

    DisAgree [19] Agree [4] Report Abuse

  • Ummar , Udupi, Dubai

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    Dev,
    Nobody born terrorist or criminal. Circumstances make them to do that.
    ಮುಳ್ಳು ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ ಗೊತ್ತಿರಲಿ

    DisAgree [2] Agree [23] Reply Report Abuse

  • MyrightIsaid, bengaluru

    Fri, Apr 08 2016

    Dev Kumar, Surat

    Every Terrorist say the same thing that you detailed.
    You accept these and call them saints!!! as you are a bhakt.
    You hate others as they are of different religion...
    If one has a clean mind, possible to think straight....but here...
    By hook or crook they are trying to erase all statements of witnesses!!!.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse


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