Ahmedabad, Nov 11: The special Pota court today admitted the bail application of an accused in the assassination of former Gujarat Home and Revenue Minister Haren Pandya. Mohammed Yusuf Abdul Samad Maniar, arrested by CBI from his shop in Kalupur area on July 10, pleaded for bail through advocate Ilyas Pathan.

The CBI had recovered from Maniar, four cartridges used in the assassination of Pandya on March 26 last year at law garden. Pota court Judge Sonia Gokani also admitted another bail application of Saeed Akbar Mohammed Yusuf Sheikh, an accused in crime branch's case of "conspiracy of waging a war against nation" arrested from Andhra Pradesh.

Sheikh, a local cleric in Jakatiyal in Andhra Pradesh, was arrested along with five others by crime branch on July 23 for "facilitating funds to other accused in the conspiracy." While bail of Pandya accused will be heard on November 17, the court will hear Sheikh's plea on November 13, Pathan told.

While crime branch has arrested 42 people in the "conspiracy" case, CBI, which is investigating the Haren Pandya killing has nabbed 17 people from Ahmedabad and Hyderabad till date.

Bureau Report