First arrest made by NIA in Malegaon blast case

NEW DELHI: NIA today made its first arrest in connection with Maharashtra's 2006 Malegaon bombing after the role of right-wing groups came to the fore with the nabbing of Swami Aseemanand last year.

The National Investigation Agency arrested one Mohan, who is alleged to be part of the criminal conspiracy and touted as planter of explosives in communally-sensitive powerloom Malegaon township on September 8, 2006 which left 35 people dead.

He was arrested from Hatod area of Indore district in Madhya Pradesh and was being taken to Mumbai on a transit remand where he would produced before the court, officials said.

Mohan's role came out before the NIA during the interrogation of Rajesh Chowdhry, an alleged bomber of Samjhauta train blast, who had claimed to be also a part of alleged conspiracy involved in bombing at Malegaon, they said.

His arrest is the first one by the NIA in connection with the Malegaon blasts. Mumbai police's elite ATS and CBI had arrested nine Muslim youths in the aftermath of the incident.