Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya's bail plea rejected — What NIA court said

Mumbai: The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Tuesday rejected the bail application filed by Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, a key accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blasts case.

Sadhvi Pragya in her plea had argued that no case was made out against her as per evidence collected by the NIA. However, Special Judge NA Tikole ruled that prima facie materials are available against the accused, hence the bail application cannot be considered.

In June, Syed Nisar Ahmed, a resident of Malegaon, whose son Bilal died in the blast, after filing an intervention application and opposed the bail plea through Advocate Khan Abdul Wahab and Shaikh Sharif Ahmed.

Family of Sadhvi Pragya Singh said that they will approach Bombay High Court against Special NIA Court order.

We take a look at what the court said while dismissing Sadhvi Pragya's bail plea - 

• The motorcycle, which was used to plant bomb and was used by the absconding accused was registered in Sadhvi Pragya's name. At this prima facie stage, she can't avoid her connection with it being registered in her name and she being the owner of the same.
  
• At prima facie stage, without going to the question which version of witness's statement is correct, a safe conclusion can be drawn on basis of statement that during a meeting in Bhopal, the applicant was present and there was discussion about jihadi activities in Aurangabad and Malegaon and ways to prevent it.
  
• It was evident from her discussion that Sadhvi Pragya along with participants of the meeting wanted to establish a Hindu Rashtra. 
  
• During the meeting in Bhopal, they also discussed to establish a government in exile and wanted their own Constitution. 
  
• There are reasonable ground to believe that accusations against Sadhvi Pragya are prima facie true. 
  
• Instead of carrying forward the probe, the NIA conducted an re-investigation. It is difficult to accept the prayer merely on ground that NIA gave her a clean chit in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. 
  

The Malegaon blast in Nashik district of Maharashtra on September 29, 2008 claimed four lives and left at least 101 wounded after two bombs planted on a motorcycle exploded. Pragya was arrested by the Maharashtra ATS after it was found that the motorcycle which was used to plant the bomb at Malegaon, was registered under her name.

Sadhvi Pragya is an accused of involvement in the murder of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary Sunil Joshi and is facing trial in the case. She is currently imprisoned at Central Jail in Bhopal and is undergoing treatment in Pandit Khushilal Ayurveda Hospital there.