2009 Goa blast case: HC upholds lower court's acquittal order

The Goa bench of Bombay High Court on Saturday upheld the order of a special court acquitting all the accused charge-sheeted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a bomb blast that took place in Margao in 2009.

As per the NIA, those charge-sheeted allegedly had links with right-wing Hindu outfits.

The bomb, which was placed in a scooter, went off on October 16 that year, on the eve of Diwali, killing two persons who police identified as Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik.

The duo was ferrying the bomb when it exploded, the police had said at the time.

NIA counsel Advocate Pravin Faldesai told reporters in Panaji on Saturday that Vinay Talekar, Dhananjay Ashtekar, Prashant Ashtekar, Vinayak Patil, Prashant Juvekar and Dilip Mazgaonkar were acquitted by the High Court bench of Justices MS Sonak and MS Jawalkar, which gave them the benefit of doubt.

"The High Court considered the appeal in larger detail and held that the accused be given the benefit of doubt. The HC expunged a statement in the special court order which had said the NIA investigation was with malafide intention," Faldesai said.

The special court had acquitted the accused in 2013 after which the NIA approached HC.