Malegaon blast case: Bailable warrant cancelled after former BJP MP Thakur appears in court

Mumbai, Jan 30 (PTI) The bailable warrant issued against former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, was cancelled after she appeared before a special court here on Thursday afternoon.

The special court assigned to hear cases pertaining to the National Investigation Agency had in November 2024 issued the warrant against Thakur after she failed to appear before it on various occasions.

The court is presently in the final stages of the trial and had ordered all the accused to attend the hearing daily.

On Thursday, Thakur appeared before the court and filed an application through her advocate seeking cancellation of the bailable warrant.

In her application, Thakur said she was unable to appear before the court as she was unwell and hospitalised.

The court allowed the application and cancelled the bailable warrant. It directed Thakur to remain present in court on Friday.

Six persons were killed and more than 100 were injured on September 29, 2008 after a motorcycle rigged with explosives detonated near a mosque in Malegaon, approximately 200 kilometres from Mumbai.

Besides Thakur, other accused in the case include Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit and Major Ramesh Upadhyay (retired). All of them have been charged under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code.

The case, which was initially investigated by Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), was transferred to the National Investigation Agnency (NIA) in 2011.

The special court framed charges against the accused in October 2018.

The court is presently hearing the final arguments in the case. PTI SP BNM