Notice to NIA on three terrorists' bail plea

The Delhi High Court Monday issued notice to the National Investigating Agency (NIA) on a bail application of Wasim Akram Malik, the accused in the September 2011 high court blast that left 15 dead, and two other terror accused.

A bench of Justices P.K. Bhasin and V.P. Vaish asked the agency to file the response by Jan 22, 2014 on the plea of Malik who also sought setting aside of the trial court order dismissing his bail application in September.

The court also issued notice to the agency on two Indian Mujahideen suspects Syed Maqbool and Imran Khan's bail pleas and sought response by same date.

On Sep 26, the trial court had dismissed Malik's bail plea.

Advocate Mahmood Pracha, appearing for Malik, told the bench that his client has been falsely implicated in the case.

The charge sheet in the case was filed on Oct 6, 2011 and thereafter the special NIA court framed charges against Malik for various offences including that of waging war against India.

Maqbool and Khan are accused in Hyderabad twin blasts in 2012. Khan was also accused in Pune blasts in October of the same year.

The two had claimed to have conducted recce of Begum Bazaar and Abids in Hyderabad on a motorcycle in July 2012 on the instructions of Indian Mujahideen co-founder Riyaz Bhatkal.