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BJP MP Pragya Thakur to appear for all summons in Malegaon blasts case

MUMBAI: Pragya Singh Thakur who is a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of parliament and an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, marked her appearance before a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court here today after she had skipped multiple hearings in the case citing ill health.

Earlier today, her lawyers informed the special NIA judge P R Sitre that as she was in Mumbai for medical treatment at the Kokilaben hospital, Thakur would attend the court. 

In June 2019, the NIA court had rejected Thakur’s plea seeking permanent exemption from appearing for hearings in the case and after her last appearance in January earlier this year, she skipped multiple hearings of the case citing her ill health.

Although on occasions, she has ventured out in a wheelchair, however in several other occasions she had been spotted playing basketball and even dancing at a wedding and her videos had gone viral on social media. Last month a video had emerged showing Pragya Thakur playing kabbadi with a group of women while visiting a temple in her constituency.

Several Opposition leaders, including B V Srinivas, national president of Youth Congress had tweeted pointing out that Thakur had been exempt from appearing for hearings in person on medical grounds. He tweeted in Hindi on October 13, 2021, which read, "When is her next hearing at the NIA (National Investigation Agency) court?"

On September 29, 2008, an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Malegaon, a communally sensitive town in north Maharashtra in which six people were killed and over 100 injured. According to police, the motorbike was registered in Thakur's name and that led to her arrest in 2008.

Seven persons, including Thakur and Army officer Lt Col Prasad Purohit, are facing trial in the case which is now scheduled for hearing on December 1.

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