MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday discharged four men accused in the 2006 Malegaon blast case and quashed a special court order framing charges against them.
A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Shyam Chandak allowed the appeals filed by the four accused -- Rajendra Chaudhary, Dhan Singh, Manohar Ram Singh Narwaria and Lokesh Sharma -- against the special court order. A copy of the detailed order would be made available later.
The four were charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for murder and criminal conspiracy and also under the stringent Unlawful (Activities) Prevention Act (UAPA).
On September 8, 2006, four bombs exploded in Nashik district's Malegaon town, three inside the premises of Hamidia Masjid and Bada Kabrastan just after Friday prayers, and the fourth in Mushawarat Chowk, claiming 31 lives and injuring 312 persons.
The state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which initially probed the case, had arrested nine Muslim men in connection with the case.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which later took over the case, claimed the blasts were the handiwork of right-wing extremists and arrested these four accused.
The nine Muslim men had been discharged from the case by a special court. In September last year, a special court framed charges against the four accused. They then moved HC against the court order.
In January this year, the HC, while admitting the pleas, noted that a prima facie case for interference was made out and stayed further proceedings before the trial court pending the outcome of the matter.
The four accused, in their plea in HC, claimed that the NIA had failed to produce any evidence against them.