Newly elected BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur has appeared before NIA special court in Mumbai over accussed for 2008 Malegaon Blast case.
It was Ms. Thakur’s first appearance before the NIA court, which is conducting trial in the 11-year-old case, after being elected to Lok Sabha from Bhopal last month.
The last time she had shown up in the court was during framing of charges in the case in October last year. Special NIA Judge V.S. Padalkar last month directed all the accused, including Ms. Thakur, to appear before the court at least once a week.
The judge then said an exemption from appearance would be granted only if cogent reasons were submitted.
On Monday, the special court rejected the application of Ms. Thakur, who defeated Congress veteran Digvijay Singh from Bhopal, for exemption from appearance in the court this week. The 49-year-old Hindutva activist had sought the exemption for completing formalities relating to her election to Parliament, but the court said her presence is necessary at this stage in the case.
On Thursday, her lawyer Prashant Magoo told the court she is suffering from high blood pressure and is unable to travel to Mumbai from Bhopal.
The court granted her exemption for the day and asked her to appear before it on Friday. “Today (Thursday), the exemption is granted. But she will have to appear on Friday else she will have to face consequences,” the judge said.
Malegaon blast case: Pragya Singh Thakur appears in NIA court in Mumbai
