Why accused Chauhan should not be given bail, HC asks NIA

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday asked National Investigation Agency (NIA) to inform the court as to why Kamal Chauhan, an accused in Samjhauta blast case of 2007, should not be given bail.

The high court bench of justice MMS Bedi and justice GS Gill also asked NIA to produce case record on March 20, the next date of hearing.

The NIA has opposed the bail plea of Chauhan arguing that during the investigation it came to light that criminal conspiracy to set off blasts in the train by planting IEDs/ bombs was hatched and executed by a group of persons, including Kamal Chauhan. Out of total eight accused, four have been arrested, including Kamal Chauhan, one is dead and three are still at large. The NIA court special court at Panchkula has examined 184 witnesses so far out of the total 299.

As per NIA, Chauhan had confessed to planting bombs. He is in judicial custody in the Ambala central jail for the past four years. He had approached the court with bail plea in May 2015. The blasts had taken place on February 18, 2007, near Panipat, killing 68 people, mostly Pakistanis.