Mumbai: Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is considering pressing charges under the stringent MCOCA against all the nine accused in the Malegaon blast case, including Lt. Col. Shrikant Prasad Purohit and Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, prosecution sources said today.

"So far we have not pressed charges under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the accused. Now we are considering booking all the nine accused under MCOCA," they told PTI. 

Under MCOCA, police can take upto 180 days to file chargesheet against the accused in comparison to a 90-day period available to the prosecution under the normal law for the purpose. The charges relating to terrorist activities and conspiracy behind them entail a maximum punishment of life imprisonment and a minimum jail term of five years, the sources said.

The sources said ATS Special Public Prosecutor Ajay Misar and other lawyers will be seeking extension of police custody of accused Sameer Kulkarni, a founder member of radical outfit Abhinav Bharat, Ajay Rahirkar, Rakesh Dhawde and two others when they are produced before a Nashik court tomorrow.

"We will seek extension of police custody of Kulkarni and four others are we feel the accused are required by the prosecution to focus on certain key aspects of the case. They will be produced before the court tomorrow," they said.

Among the various angles being probed in connection with the Malegaon blast case, the ATS is investigating transfer of funds from the bank account of Lt. Col. Purohit, the first serving army officer to be arrested in the case, to Rahirkar and others for execution of the alleged conspiracy, the sources said.

Source : PTI