The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a plea by Lieutenant Colonel Shrikant Purohit, who had sought an investigation into his alleged abduction and torture by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in 2008, PTI reported. Purohit is one of the main accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case and has sought an inquiry by a Special Investigation Team.

Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Naveen Sinha and KM Joseph said entertaining the petition at this stage might impact the ongoing trial. The judges, however, asked Purohit to raise the matter in the trial court. “Why should we interfere at this stage?” the judges asked. “It may impact the trial.”

Purohit was arrested in 2008 for allegedly masterminding the blasts. He is being tried under Section 18 (conspiracy) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and other sections of the Indian Penal Code. The Supreme Court in April allowed Purohit to challenge the framing of charges. Purohit spent nine years in jail before the Supreme Court granted him conditional bail in August 2017.

On September 29, 2008, six people were killed and several were injured in two blasts in Maharashtra’s Malegaon. Purohit’s radical Hindutva outfit Abhinav Bharat was suspected to have carried them out. The Anti-Terrorism Squad has filed a chargesheet against 14 right-wing extremists in the case.