Malegaon blast case: NIA has no objection to Sadhvi's discharge

The National Investigation Agency on Friday told a special Mumbai court that it has no objection to the discharge of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur in the 2008 Malegoan bomb blast case.

“We have not objected to her discharge plea and in the chargesheet we have already said that there is no prosecutable evidence against her,” said special NIA prosecutor Avinash Rasal.

Sadhvi Pragya had moved the court earlier this month seeking her discharge in the Malegoan bomb blast case.

He said the court is likely to hear the case on May 29.

Sadhvi had moved the special court on May 3, days after the Bombay high court granted her bail on April 25 observing that ‘prima facie no case was made out against her’.

In its chargesheet filed last year, the NIA had dropped all charges against Sadhvi and five others in the case while charges under the stringent MCOC (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime) Act were given up against all the other 10 accused including Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit.

The agency had said that during investigation, ‘sufficient evidences have not been found against’ Sadhvi and five others.

Six people were killed and nearly 100 others injured when a bomb strapped to a motorcycle had exploded in Malegaon town in Nashik district on September 29, 2008.

Twelve people, including the Sadhvi and Army Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit, were arrested for their alleged roles in the blast.

They were booked under stringent MCOCA, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, besides various sections under the Indian Penal Code.

A special court was constituted to exclusively hear the blast case on the direction of the Supreme Court.

Sadhvi, 44 was released from the judicial custody on April 27 after the bail formalities were completed in Bhopal, where she is currently undergoing treatment at Khushilal Ayurvedic Hospital for cancer.