HC seeks NIA stand on Sadhvi's plea

The Bombay High Court today sought the NIA's stand on a plea by the Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur against the trial court's permission to a blast victim's father to assist the prosecution in the case.

A bench of justices V K Tahilramani and M S Karnik issued the notice also to the victim's father, Nisar Bilal, seeking his stand on sadhvi's plea and posted the matter for further hearing in June.

Facing trial in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur has moved the high court against the special NIA court order permitting the victim's family to assist the prosecution in the trial.

The anti-terror court had in February this year permitted Bilal, the father of a victim who had died in the September 29, 2008 blasts, to intervene in the case and assist the prosecution in the trial against Sadhvi and ten others.

Nisar had filed an intervening application in the special court in January when it was expected to frame charges against the accused.

In her petition to the high court, Sadhvi has claimed that Nisar's application was filed with "malafide and ulterior motives."

"The appellant (Sadhvi) is already a victim of false implication at the hands of the prosecution. She cannot be exposed to any further risk of prejudice in any manner. There is absolutely no necessity or purpose for the victim or his family to assist the prosecution," the petition said.

The petition further alleged that "the special NIA court has erred and has allowed the victim's father to intervene without proper application of mind."

"The order of the special court should be set aside and quashed," the petition sought.

Sadhvi was arrested in 2008 soon after the blasts and was accused of hatching the conspiracy for blasts and for allowing her scooter to be used in the blasts.

The NIA, which had taken over the case later, gave a clean chit to Sadhvi.

Earlier this week, another bench of the high court had granted bail to Sadhvi on a surety of Rs five lakh, observing that the allegations against her cannot be said to be prima facie true.

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