PUNE: In a major setback to the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Pune, a magistrate’s court here granted bail to Malegaon blast accused, Lt Col Prasad Purohit, in a fake arms licence case after the ATS failed to file a chargesheet within the stipulated 90 days.
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Judicial magistrate first class G.G. Itkalkar ordered Purohit’s release on a bail of Rs 15,000 and a surety of a like amount. Purohit was directed to be present in the ATS office whenever required for investigations. He was also cautioned against tampering with evidence.
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The magistrate also issued a notice to the investigating officer, asking him to submit an affidavit explaining why the chargesheet had not been filed within 90 days. The court said it would pass the necessary order if the investigating officer failed to give an explanation.
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Though the court has ordered Purohit’s release on bail, he will not be released from jail because he is facing trial in three blast cases — at Malegaon, Jalna and Nanded — besides two other fake arms licence cases at Nashik and Mumbai.
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Defence lawyers Shrikant Shivade and Girish Kulkarni had filed the bail application for Purohit under section 167(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure after the ATS failed to file its chargesheet.
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When asked to reply to the bail application, assistant public prosecutor Avinash Ausekar appealed to the court to pass necessary orders.
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