Mumbai: The National Investigation Agency
on Saturday opposed the bail plea of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, a
key accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast, in the special MCOCA
court, claiming that she had aided and abetted other accused
with the full knowledge of the strike.
On November 18 last year, Thakur had filed a bail
application in the special Maharashtra Control of Organised
Crime Act (MCOCA) court for the third time saying she was
falsely implicated in the case.
Opposing the bail, NIA's public prosecutor Rohini Salian
told the court, "The agency has concrete evidence against her
linking to the blast. She is member of an organised crime
syndicate and has aided and abetted the other accused with the
full knowledge to accomplish the object of conspiracy."
"A motorcycle registered in her name was used to plant
the bomb," she stated.
The application filed by the NIA states that Thakur was
associated with arrested as well as wanted accused Ramchandra
Kalasangraha and Sandeep Dange who executed the blast and
there is enough material against her in the charge sheet.
Thakur, against whom there is ample material, has not
made out a case to satisfy the court to hold that there are
reasonable grounds for believing that she is not guilty of
offences, which are levelled against her, it said.
Further arguments over the bail plea would be heard on
January 21.
Her two bail applications filed earlier, one saying
that the ATS had failed to file the charge sheet in time and
another one on the ground that she was ill, were rejected by
the court.
In her latest application, she had stated she should be
given bail on the ground of parity as three other accused in
the case -- Shyam Shahu, Shivji Kalsangrah and Ajay Rahirkar
-- were given bail.
Twelve persons including Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit
were arrested for allegedly carrying out blast at Malegaon on
September 29, 2008, killing six persons and injuring 100
others.
The accused have been booked under the stringent
MCOCA, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), besides the
Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The trial is yet to commence as some of the accused have
challenged the invocation of MCOCA in the case before the
Supreme Court, which is pending.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, January 07, 2012, 23:02