Malegaon Blast Accused Purohit Released From Jail After 9 Years

August 23, 2017 13:14

Malegaon Blast Accused Purohit Released From Jail After 9 Years:- After 9 years imprisonment, Lt Col Shrikant Prasad Purohit, the accused in the 2008 Malegaon Blast, walked out of the Taloja prison near in Mumbai on Wednesday morning. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Monday.

At around 10:45 a.m, he was driven out of the prison in a car. Purohit was escorted out of the jail by a team of Military Police and Quick Response Team of the Army.

Expressing happiness, Purohit’s wife Aparna said: “I am very happy and excited. I will company him to the Army’s Colaba unit.” Purohit was later scheduled to proceed to his family home in Pune.

Speaking at a sessions court on Tuesday evening, Purohit had said he looked forward to re-joining the Army. “I want to wear my uniform. It is outermost layer of my skin. I am wedded to it. I am very happy to get back into the service of the best organization in the country if not the world, the Indian Army,” he told reporters after appearing before a special NIA judge SD Tekale.

Purohit said he was looking forward to a home-cooked meal with his family. “I haven’t sat down with my mother for nine years now.... I want to spend time with my sons too,” he said. “I have two families - the Army and my family which includes my wife, my two sons, sister and mother. I cannot wait to return to them,” he had said.

When asked if he blamed anyone, Purohit said he only blamed his destiny and no one else. Reposing his faith in the Army, he said it does not matter to him what rank he is given. “I should carry the rank. The rank shouldn’t carry me,” he said. “As an Army man, I have been taught to have faith in myself, my commander and my command,” he added.

Within 24 hours of his release on bail, Purohit is expected to report to his command. He is a serving officer who worked for the Army's Military Intelligence unit.

The case will be heard by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court. Charges are yet to be framed in the case and trial yet to start.

Six people were killed in a bomb blast on September 29, 2008 at Malegaon, a communally sensitive textile town in Nashik district of north Maharashtra.