Malegaon accused Sadhvi denied bail

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, June 28

The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court here today rejected the bail plea of Sadhvi Pragya Singh, who was one of the accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case.

More than a month ago, the NIA had given a clean chit to the Sadhvi on the grounds that it did not have enough evidence against her. However, relatives of those killed and injured in the blasts objected to the bail plea on the grounds that the Anti-Terrorism Squad of the Maharashtra Police had enough evidence against her.

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Last month, the NIA said it was dropping all charges against the Sadhvi and five others and sought revocation of the provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against them. Shortly after the clean chit, Pragya applied for bail on May 30. Her lawyers argued that she had sold her bike to one of the alleged bomb planters long before the blasts and was unaware that the vehicle was used in the crime.

However, this month, Nisar Bilal, a businessman aged 64 who was injured in the blasts, filed an intervention application. He contended that the NIA had sought dropping of charges against Pragya under political pressure.

Incidentally, special public prosecutor Rohini Salian   alleged that officials had asked her to go soft on the accused after the Narendra Modi government came to power.