MHA defends NIA's decision to not challenge bail to Assemanand

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Tuesday, defended the National Investigation Agency's decision to not challenge the bail granted to Swami Aseemanand in the Samjhauta Express blast case.

“The Punjab and Haryana High Court passed an order granting conditional bail to Naba Kumar Sarkar alias Swami Aseemanand in Samjhauta Express blast case. NIA examined the feasibility of filing a SLP and decided that there were no grounds to challenge the order in the Supreme Court,” MHA said.

The Home Ministry further added that Aseemanand continues to remain in jail since he did not comply with conditions of bail specified in order.

Earlier in the day, Minister of State for Home, Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary, told the Lok Sabha that the Punjab and Haryana High Court had granted conditional bail to Aseemanand on August 28, 2014, in the Samjhauta Express blast case.

The minister said that the NIA decided not to challenge in Supreme Court the conditional bail granted to Aseemanand as it did not find any grounds for the same.

Blasts in two coaches of the Samjhauta Express on February 18, 2007, had claimed the lives of 68 people.