Malegaon case: Maha challenges revocation of MCOCA provisions

Mumbai, Aug 24 (PTI) The Maharashtra Government has filed
an appeal in the Bombay High Court challenging the revocation
of the provisions of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime
Act (MCOCA) in the September 2008 Malegaon blasts case.

The Court Monday adjourned the matter to September 8
after directing the state to serve a copy of the appeal to all
the 11 arrested in the case.

A special MCOCA court had on July 31 dropped all charges
of MCOCA from the case after observing that the accused are
not part of an organised crime syndicate.

The state in its appeal before the High Court had said
that the order of the special court was "unconstitutional and
bad in law."

The ATS had arrested 11 persons, including Sadhvi Pragya
Singh Thakur and Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit for
allegedly carrying out blasts at Malegaon in September last
year that killed six people and injured several others.
PTI SP