Rohini Salian names NIA officer who 'pressurised' her in Malegaon blast case

New Delhi: Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian has named a Superintendent of Police of NIA, alleging that he had told her on behalf of "higher ups" to go slow against the Malegaon bomb blast accused, months after she stoked a row by claiming she was pressurised in the case.

Salian gave a written affidavit in Bombay High Court in response to a Criminal Writ Petition filed by Sanjay Likhe Patil naming SP Suhas Warke.

In her affidavit, which forms a part of a PIL filed by Patil in the Supreme court, Salian had alleged "...I am disclosing the name of the NIA officer who had tried to interfere with the delivery of administration of justice, as a messenger. His name is Shri Subas Warke, SP NIA, Mumbai Branch."

Reiterating her allegations, she claimed in the affidavit that the same officer came and had said that there are instructions from "higher ups, that someone else will appear instead of me and in the said case (Malegaon 2008)".

Salian had to give an affidavit as Bombay High Court was hearing a criminal petition filed by Patil against NIA.

However, as no hearing took place in last three months, Patil moved a PIL in the Supreme Court requesting that the petition be clubbed with earlier petition filed by Harsh Mandar.

Suhas Mushukar Warke is an IPS officer of 2000 batch from Maharashtra cadre and has been on central deputation with NIA since December 2012.

NIA Director General Sharad Kumar said a counter-affidavit had already been filed in the Supreme Court. "We will not like to comment any further as the matter is sub-judice," he said.