Lt Col Shrikant Purohit reports back to his army unit

NEW DELHI: Lt Col Shrikant Prasad Purohit reported to the Southern Command Liaison Unit where he is attached on Wednesday, two days after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the Malegaon blast case.

Purohit, who spent nine years in jail, continues to be under the disciplinary and vigilance ban, which prevents him from getting new postings, promotions or operational duties, government sources said.

Purohit walked out of Taloja prison in Maharashtra’s Raigad earlier in the day and left for Mumbai, escorted by an army team. The escort was present due to a “perceived sense of threat” on Purohit, one of the sources said.

Purohit is currently based in Mumbai, but has already reported to the Southern Command Liaison Unit based in Pune, sources said.

He will later shift to Pune. His suspension in the army continues and will be reviewed, a senior government official said.

Purohit is accused of being part of the conspiracy hatched to carrying out the September 29, 2008 blast in Malegaon, in Nashik district of Maharashtra. Seven people were killed and scores injured in the blast, allegedly the handiwork of a right-wing group, Abhinav Bharat.