Mumbai: With the year coming to an end and we look back at the major happenings in the legal fraternity, it becomes necessary to mention the shocking twist which took place in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case.In a surprising move, the National Investigations Agency (NIA) resorted to a complete about turn on its stand over the roles of accused and especially that of right-wing Hindu terrorist Sadhvi Pragyasingh Thakur.
In its chargesheet filed in a ‘haste’ in April, the NIA gave a complete ‘clean chit’ to Sadhvi and four others. This stand was contrary to the NIA’s earlier claim as the agency had since 2011 maintained that Sadhvi is the prime accused in the case.
Interestingly, the NIA’s Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Avinash Rasal had no idea about the agency’s chargesheet rather a day before the chargesheet was filed, he had told the court that the same would be filed in May.
This came as an embarrassment to the NIA as well as its SPP Rasal as before filing of the chargesheet, the agency through its prosecutor continuously opposed bail pleas of Sadhvi.
The NIA’s chargesheet had invited flak from opposition parties and a huge criticism by the special court, which rejected Sadhvi’s bail plea even after a ‘no objection’ waived by the agency.
Timeline
May 13: In a complete ‘turn-around’, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which had objected to the bail plea of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, one of the several accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case had dropped all charges against her.
June 6: NIA cleared decks for Sadhvi’s release by not objecting her bail plea and leaving it on the court to decide on the same.
June 28: Special Judge SD Tekale rejected bail to Sadhvi as he considered the charges leveled against her by ATS. transferred to Mumbai Crime Branch unit VIII for further investigation
