By Praful Kumar Singh

New Delhi, Nov 5 (ANI): The Army today denied arrest of Lieutenant Colonel Srikant Purohit by Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in connection with the September 29 Malegaon blasts.

The army officer, who came under the scanner for his alleged role in the blasts, was stationed at the Army Education Corps Training College and Centre at Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh. He was doing a course in Arabic at the Army Education Corps College.

The officer is not under arrest. He has been accordingly detained by the ATS for the questioning. The Army Headquarters will take a further view on the matter based on progress of investigation by the ATS an availability of additional evidence, if any, said Veerendra Singh, APRO Army.

He further said that the ATS after registering the FIR against alleged involvement of Lt. Colonel Purohit with other suspects in Malegaon blasts case sought permission from the Army Headquarters for questioning the officer under detention and not under arrest.

After considering legal aspects and with a view to fully assist in thorough and objective investigation by the ATS, the Army accorded the permission to question the officer, Singh added.

The ATS began interrogating Lt. Colonel Purohit after his name cropped up in investigations following the arrest of two retired army officers for their role in the Malegaon blasts.

Purohit is suspected to have helped bomb blast accused sadhvi Pragya Thakur, retired Army Major Ramesh Upadhyaya and his associate Sharad Kulkarni in procuring RDX used in the blasts. (ANI)