**Court Orders Inquiry into Allegations in Malegaon Blast Case**
The recent ruling in the Malegaon 2008 blast case has cleared all accused, prompting the court to initiate an investigation into serious allegations against a Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officer. The inquiry will focus on claims regarding the submission of potentially fraudulent medical certificates during the investigation process. This decision follows the court’s observation that both the Maharashtra ATS and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) failed to present substantial evidence to support the charges against the defendants.
The NIA, which took over the investigation from the ATS in 2011, exonerated former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur in its supplementary chargesheet. However, the same document implicated ATS officer Shekhar Bagade, accusing him of planting traces of RDX at the home of Sudhakar Chaturvedi, a military informant living near co-accused Lt Colonel Prasad Purohit in Nashik’s Deolali cantonment area.
According to the chargesheet, the NIA based its findings on testimonies from an Army Major and a Subedar who testified during Lt Colonel Purohit’s appeal. They alleged that Bagade entered Chaturvedi’s residence without permission and left RDX traces, which were later collected by an ATS team using cotton swabs. The officers claimed that Bagade urged them not to report the incident.
In a detailed judgment delivered on July 31, Special Judge A K Lahoti expressed serious concerns regarding Bagade’s alleged actions, which he denied. The judge noted, “There is no explanation on record by the ATS regarding this act. The facts tilt towards the theory of planting,” and ordered a formal inquiry into the allegations.
The court also highlighted discrepancies in the medical evidence provided by the ATS. Judge Lahoti pointed out that some injury certificates seemed to have been issued by unauthorized practitioners at the behest of ATS officers, while others appeared to be manipulated. The court rejected these documents and mandated a separate investigation into the alleged fabrication.
In his concluding remarks, Judge Lahoti acknowledged the societal impact of the case, stating, “I am fully aware of the degree of agony, frustration, and trauma caused to society at large, particularly to the victims’ families, by the fact that a heinous crime of this nature has gone unpunished.” He emphasized that legal standards must be upheld, stating, “The court of law is not supposed to proceed on popular or predominant public perceptions about the matter. The more serious the offence, the higher the degree of proof needed for conviction.”
The full judgment is anticipated to provide further insights into the court’s reasoning and findings.
**FAQ**
**What are the main allegations against the ATS officer in the Malegaon blast case?**
The main allegations against ATS officer Shekhar Bagade include the planting of RDX traces at the residence of an accused individual and the submission of potentially fraudulent medical certificates during the investigation.
