Mumbai: BJP MP from Bhopal and Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur appeared before a court here on Friday, in connection with the 2008 Malegaon blast case, after skipping two dates citing ill-health.
In court, she denied knowledge of the September 29 blast and shouted at her lawyer while complaining of dust and a “dirty chair”.
In one of the more dramatic moments of the hearing, the NIA (National Investigation Agency) court asked Pragya Thakur, “116 witnesses have been examined and it has been established that a blast took place? I am not asking who did it. Do you know a blast took place on 29th September, 2008?”
Pragya Thakur’s reply was, “I don’t know”.
This was Pragya Thakur’s first appearance before the court, which had ordered the accused in the case to appear before it at least once a week, since being elected to parliament in the general election that concluded on May 23.
The court, which had earlier refused exemption requests, agreed but warned Thakur to appear on Friday or “face consequences”.
The 49-year-old, who had been admitted to a Bhopal hospital on Tuesday evening for dehydration and hypertension, sat in court on a red satin cloth provided by her supporters.
“She said I am an MP and I am going to take up this point that the conditions where the accused sit should be seen on humanitarian grounds,” defence lawyer Ranjeet Sangle told NDTV.
In response, NIA lawyer Avinash Rasal said no special arrangements could be made for the accused.
“We are trying to give them the best facilities. If that chair was not comfortable she should have said it at that time and informed the judge. The judge was kind enough to give her liberty to stand as well as sit,” he said to NDTV.
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