Special NIA court grants permission to Malegaon blast accused to contest UP polls

A special NIA court on Saturday granted permission to 2008 Malegaon blast accused Major (retd) Ramesh Upadhyay to contest the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and visit the state.

"The court has granted him permission to go to Uttar Pradesh for three weeks," said special public prosecutor Avinash Rasal. "The court has imposed a number of conditions on him," Rasal added.

Upadhyay is contesting elections from constituency number 363 Baria in Ballia district on the ticket given by Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha. The court on January 20 allowed him to file hisnomination form after which he moved an application forinterim bail.

Also Read: 2006 Malegaon bomb blast case: Court acquits all eight accused

A bomb strapped to a motorcycle had exploded in Malegaon on September 29, 2008, killing seven people and injuring around 100.