Mumbai: A day after the BJP declared Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur as its official candidate from Bhopal, an application has been filed in a special court, raising an objection to her candidature. The application seeks to bar Sadhvi, the prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, from contesting the polls.
Nisar Bilal (59), a Malegaon resident and father of a victim in the blast case, has claimed in his plea that Sadhvi has defied the orders, by which the special court granted her ‘conditional’ bail. He has highlighted the fact that the court had given her bail after considering her failing ‘health.’
“Sadhvi is not attending hearing of the court on the pretext that she is unwell and she is a breast cancer patient, but on the contrary she has been seen participating in various programs and giving objectionable and instigating speeches since her release from jail,” Bilal has said in his plea.
The plea further highlights that Sadhvi, in her bail plea, claimed she is infirm and could not walk without support but at present she is well and fit. “Sadhvi got bail on health grounds but now she is clearly healthy enough to fight elections in the crippling summer heat which means she has misguided the court,” the plea reads.
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Bilal has further contended that even though the NIA has given a clean chit to Sadhvi the special court has not exonerated her and has instead framed ‘grave’ charges against her. “This means prima facie there is sufficient material evidence against Sadhvi, which may result in her conviction,” Bilal has said.
Accordingly, Bilal has urged the special to direct Sadhvi to attend court proceeding in Mumbai and to bar her from contesting as the trial is still in progress and a petition is pending before the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of her bail. The special court, while admitting the plea, has ordered Sadhvi to file her say in the matter. The court has granted her time to file her reply in response to the plea by April 23.
