2008 Malegaon blast: Mcoca applicable on SP Purohit and Sadhvi Pragya, says NIA's special prosecutor

NEW DELHI: Avinash Rasal, special public prosecutor of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, said the provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act ( Mcoca) are "applicable" on the 10 accused, including Lt Colonel SP Purohit and Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur. The agency "never consulted" him before proposing to drop the charges, Rasal told ET, a statement that may not be comfortable for the NIA, which was accused by previous prosecutor Rohini Salian of asking her to "go slow" in the case.

The case may come up on Monday for hearing before the special NIA court. The NIA is likely to seek more time to file the response, a top government official said. As first reported by ET on February 1, the agency has sought an opinion from Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi on the applicability of MCOCA against Purohit, Sadhvi and others.

Speaking to ET, Rasal said: "I have been arguing on behalf of the NIA during which I showed it to the court that MCOCA is applicable. As many as 24 applications of bail have been rejected by the court between September...and January 22 this year... In my court appearances, I strongly said those arrested conspired to revolt against the government. They wanted to have a Hindu Rashtra and they were trying to overthrow this government and that is why the provision of MCOCA is applicable."