The Bombay High Court (HC) granted bail to Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, the accused in the September 29, 2008 Maharashtra’s Malegaon blasts.
A bail amount of Rs 5 lakh and 2 sureties were ordered to furnish bail to Pragya. According to a news agency, the HC directed Pragya to surrender her passport to the NIA. It also directed her not to tamper the evidence and to report to NIA court as and when required. Sadhvi Pragya is believed to be a member of Abhinav Bharat, a Hindu extremist outfit apparently floated by military officer Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit. However, the bail was refused to the co-accused in the case, Purohit, who is still serving imprisonment.
From the past 9 years, Thakur was in jail, though she was moved to a hospital due to serious illness. The NIA on January 19, told the Bombay HC, that it has no objection if the HC grants bail to Thakur. Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, appearing for NIA, said the agency has already held the stringent provisions of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). However, after the decision of the Supreme Court, the NIA dropped charges under MCOCA against Sadhvi and Purohit.
The appeal filed by Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur is allowed, while the appeal filed by Prasad Purohit stands dismissed, said a division bench of Justices Ranjit More and Shalini Phansalkar Joshi.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) charge sheet stated that Sadhvi's scooter was used for the blast by prime accused Ram Kalsangra (absconding). Kalsangra’s brother Shivnarayan, who is the second accused in the case, has been telling the trial court that his brother was “eliminated by police officers.” Meanwhile, various other prime witnesses have retracted their statements and complained that they were forced by the ATS to say false things in their statements. Considering all this, we (NIA) have no objection to the court granting bail to applicant (Sadhvi),” said Anil Singh. Since, no evidence was found against her, Sadhvi is to be released on bail, added the HC.
Seven people were killed, and 100 injured in the blast at Malegaon, a communally-sensitive textile town of Nasik district in North Maharashtra.
By Supraja
