Malegaon blast: 9 accused get bail after 5 years

Mumbai: Hours after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) told a special court in Mumbai that it won't oppose the bail plea of the nine accused in the 2006 Malegaon blasts case, the court granted them bail.

After the Maharashtra ATS made the nine arrests and filed a chargesheet in 2006, the probe was handed over to the CBI. The NIA took charge of the investigation after the Swami Aseemanand's confession that it was the right-wing Hindu fundamentalist groups who were behind the Malegaon blasts.

Jameel added, "We had faith in the investigation conducted by the NIA team."

The NIA said there is no evidence against the nine alleged SIMI activist in the Malegaon blast case.

The NIA told the court, "During the course of further investigation, the NIA after the revelation of Swami Aseemanand, arrested in the Mecca Masjid blast case, reviewed the collected evidence and collected fresh evidence. The investigation has brought out several new facts and circumstances."

For relatives of the accused in Malegaon, the news came as a huge relief.

One of the relatives said, "We are happy with the bail verdict and so we are celebrating."

While the NIA's decision to allow bail is being seen as a blow to the ATS and the CBI investigation, relatives of the accused are calling it a bitter-sweet victory.

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