Malegaon blast accused's lawyer rubbishes prosecutor's claims

Senior lawyer J.P. Mishra, who represents some of the accused in the Malegaon 2006 and 2008 bomb blasts cases, on Thursday rubbished Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian's sensational claims that she was asked by the NIA to "go soft" on the accused in the 2008 case.

"This is nothing but an attempt by Rohini Salian to subvert the process of justice shortly before the Bombay High Court appoints a new special judge to conduct trial in the 2008 Malegaon blast case as per Supreme Court's order of April 15, 2015," said Mishra, who is also the BJP's north Mumbai unit chief.

He noted that while Salian is raising questions on the NIA, she herself had not opposed the bail applications of at least nine accused Muslim youth after then Home Minister P. Chidambaram had given an assurance to this effect by way of a media statement.

Salian, who represented the NIA then, did not oppose the bail as per the central government's stance and almost all the accused in the Malegaon 2006 blast case got bail.

"Where was her morality at that point of time? Why should she be prejudiced now when the bail application of the Hindu accused is going to come up and they are likely to get bail, as per her own admission," asked Mishra.

Mishra said almost all the accused Muslim youths in the Malegaon 2006 case not only secured bail, but now their applications seeking discharge from that case are pending disposal.

"By her statements, it is clear she is trying to build pressures on the minds of the new special judge or new public prosecutors who will be appointed to try the case," he alleged.

The Supreme Court has ordered dropping charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) on the Malegaon 2008 case accused, paving the way for all of them to apply for bail, he added.