Bail granted to Praveen Takkalki in Malegaon 2008 blasts case

A special court Thursday granted bail to Praveen Takkalki, the last accused to be arrested in the Malegaon 2008 blast case by the Maharashtra ATS. Takkalki, a resident of Belgaum, was given a clean chit by the National Investigation Agency in its chargesheet filed in May. The central agency had also not opposed his bail plea filed in May.

On Thursday, Special Judge S D Tekale pronounced the order kept reserved on July 20, granting Takkalki bail on two sureties of Rs 1 lakh each. “The court has directed him to report to court on the 30th of every month and also remain present for the court hearings,” said special public prosecutor Avinash Rasal. He added that the order said the evidence against Takkalki, who was arrested by the ATS in 2011, did not show his direct participation in the blasts.

In his bail plea filed through advocate Sanjeev Punalekar, Takkalki had said his case was “fit to discharge”, stating that the filing of the chargesheet by the NIA was a change of circumstance for bail to be reconsidered.