Mumbai: Defence lawyer for the accused in
the Malegaon blast case Mahesh Jethmalani today charged that
the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, was
being applied arbitrarily by the state police.
Jethmalani said while the accused in the Malegaon
blast case were subjected to MCOCA, Ajmal Kasab, the
Pakistani terrorist convicted for 26/11 attack, was not booked
under the act.
The Bombay High Court is currently hearing state
government's appeal against Sessions Court's decision to set
aside MCOCA against Sadhvi Pragyasingh Thakur and others.
Arguing against application of MCOCA, Jethmalani said
that MCOCA was being applied arbitrarily.
"Kasab belonged to Lashkar E Toiba, a banned
organisation, but MCOCA was not used against him," he argued,
alleging discrimination.
The blast in Malegoan on September 29, 2008, claimed
lives of eight persons. Eleven accused are facing the trial
for conspiring to carry out the blast.
PTI
First Published: Monday, June 21, 2010, 22:54