Malegaon: 5 yrs for bail, should Govt apologise?

Mumbai: Five years after they were accused in the 2006 Malegaon blasts case, seven of the nine accused finally got bail and walked out of jail in Mumbai.

This came after the ATS, the CBI and the NIA failed to come up with enough evidence to the nail them.

Families of the seven accused in the 2006 Malegaon blasts case were relieved to see their loved ones walking out of prison after five long years on Wednesday.

"We have received the result of the battle we fought for five long years. I hope all accused will be proved innocent in the court of law soon," said Masood Ahmed Abdul Ahmed, brother of Dr Salman Farsi.

"I am feeling very happy. It is Id for us today," said the kid of another accused.

The nine accused were arrested by the Maharashtra ATS after at least 30 people died and over 100 were injured in blasts that rocked the town of Malegaon on September 8, 2006.

Masiullaah, whose two family members were picked up, feels vindicated.

For Advocate Jaleel Ahmed, it has been a long battle quite literally. He fought his younger brother Abrar Ahmed's case in court. Abrar had retracted a confession he claimed to have made under pressure.

"NIA's probe is fair and we trusted its probe since Day 1," said Jameel.

Though the National Investigation Agency's decision to not to oppose bail in view of Swami Aseemanand's confession has brought relief to the families of the accused, it has also raised some serious questions over not only the ATS probe but also that of CBI, which was investigating the case before NIA took over.

These families now want action against the errant police officers.