2006 Malegaon blast case: nine accused seek bail

Mumbai, Jan 17 (PTI) Nine persons arrested in connection with the 2006 Malegaon blasts today moved a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court, seeking bail in the wake of Swami Aseemanand''s confession pointing to a right-wing group''s involvement in the case.

"From the confession it is clear that those responsible for the 2006 Malegaon blasts are persons far removed from the current accused," they said in the bail plea.

Further the accused have said that they have been in jail for past four years and ''there is no direct evidence of their involvement in the said offence and was only based on forcibly taken confession statement''.

Aseemanand, who was arrested last November for his alleged role in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blasts, in his confession, recorded before the magistrate last month, had said that a right-wing group was responsible for the 2006 blasts, which killed 37 people and injured over 100.

The blasts took near Hamidia mosque in the Bada Kabristan area around 1.15 p.m. on Friday on September 8, 2006, after Shab-e-Barat prayers.

The police had arrested nine persons -- Salman Farsi, Shabir Ahmed, Noorulhuda Doha, Rais Ahmed, Mohammed Ali, Asif Khan, Javed Sheikh, Faroogue Ansari and Abrar Ahmed -- for their alleged involvement in the blasts.

In December 2006, the case was handed over to CBI.

The special court has directed the investigation agency to file their reply by January 28.