Aseemanand seeks bail as NIA fails to file charge

Jaipur, April 30, 2011



Failing to file a charge sheet against Ajmer blast accused Swami Aseemanand with in the mandatory 90-day period, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday sought more time from the CBI court which extended his judicial remand till May 14.



Swami Aseemanand, also an accused in several other terror cases, sought bail after he was produced in the court in Jaipur along with another Ajmer blast accused Bharat Bhai. It is alleged that the two masterminded the 2007 bomb attack at the dargah of Sufi saint Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti that left three persons dead and 15 others injured.



Swami Aseemanand moved a petition seeking bail on technical ground citing Section 167 (2) of CrPC, which provides that a person cannot be kept in custody for more than 90 days during investigation.



He argued that since the prescribed period has lapsed and the investigating agency has failed to file any charge sheet against him, he should be granted bail.



Opposing the bail plea, the NIA moved an application requesting the court to extend the time for filing the charge sheet against the two accused. The court will hear the matter on May 2.



The court, however, extended the judicial remand of Swami Aseemanad and Mr. Bhai till May 14.



The NIA was handed over the investigation into the case on April 6, 2011. Earlier, the Rajasthan Anti-Terrorism Squad was probing the blasts.



The ATS has already charge sheeted Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma alias Kaalo and Chandrasheker Levae in the court of District Judge, Ajmer.



However, Mr. Levae has been successful in obtaining bail from the High Court.



Two other accused — Harshad Solanki and Mukesh Vasani — were charge sheeted on Thursday by the NIA before the CBI court.



Swami Aseemanand had in his confessional statement, recorded by a magistrate on December 12, 2010, said he and several other Sangh activists had a direct role in the blasts, including those at Malegaon, Ajmer dargah and Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad and on the Samjhauta Express.



He was arrested in January this year in the dargah blast case.


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