NIA probe hints no role of accused arrested by Maha ATS

The National Investigating Agency is unlikely to oppose the bail pleas of the nine accused arrested by the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad in the 2006 Malegaon bomb blast case when they come up for hearing this week.

Sources privy to the investigations into the case said on Tuesday the NIA may not oppose the bail pleas of the nine accused hinting they may not have played any role.

The bail petitions are expected to come up for hearing on September 17. All the nine are languishing in Arthur Road prison since their arrest in 2006.

The NIA probe so far gave indications that the ATS of Maharashtra police and the Central Bureau of Investigation allegedly acted in undue haste in filing chargesheet against the accused, the sources said.

While NIA is looking into a possible Hindu terror link following a confession by Swami Aseemanand before a magistrate during the CBI custody, it was not immediately clear whether the agency would investigate the role of police officers who are alleged to have framed the nine muslim youth arrested for allegedly orchestrating the blast.

Sources said even the CBI, which took over probe from the ATS, can also be questioned.

NIA was handed over the probe after the case took a twist following the confession of arrested Swami Aseemanand, a member of right wing group Abhinav Bharat, before a magistrate in which he claimed that the 2006 blast in the powerloom town of Malegaon was carried out by Hindu extremists.

ATS, which was initially investigating the blast that killed 36 persons, had arrested nine muslim youth for carrying out the blasts. According to the agency, the main accused Mohammed Zahid was allegedly present in Malegaon when the blast took place.