Bhopal MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, appeared before the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai on Wednesday.
The single-judge bench of Special Judge P.R. Sitre heard the Malegaon blast case, where seven people including the BJP’s Bhopal MP, were charged with Sections 16 and 18 of the UAPA, Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 153-A (promoting enmity between two religious groups), 302 (Murder), 307 (attempt to murder), and 324 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code.
On September 29, 2008, six people were killed and over 100 were injured when an explosive device strapped onto a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Malegaon town in north Maharashtra.
According to Maharashtra Police, the motorbike used in the blast was registered in Thakur’s name and led to her arrest in 2008. The Bombay High Court granted her bail in 2017. Thakur is being tried under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other relevant laws along with other accused persons.
The counsel for Thakur submitted that although the court had not summoned the MP, she appeared on her own as she was in Mumbai for her medical treatment. Sadhvi Pragya Thakur had last appeared before the NIA court in the above case in January this year. A total of eight witnesses have turned hostile in the case so far.
Along with Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit, Ajay Rahirkar, retired major Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Dviwedi, Chaturvedi and Kulkarni are also accused in the 2008 blast. All the accused have been charged with several sections under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA Act), Explosives Substances Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).