Two Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officers who attended the 2008 Malegaon blast trial on Thursday had to exit the courtroom after lawyers of most accused - including those of Pragya Thakur and Col. Prasad Purohit, objected to their presence in the courtroom.
The ATS had probed the case before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over. A fortnight ago, state home minister Dilip Walse-Patil had offered that the state could appoint lawyers to help the NIA in the case, after many witnesses had turned hostile.
The court asked the ATS officers to produce, if they had anything in written, regarding attending the trial. The ATS officers who said they had verbal instructions from their seniors to attend the matter, are expected to return on the next date of the case with a written letter for the purpose. The NIA is said to have told the court that they did not have any instructions on the matter.
