The case against Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur: What is the latest

New Delhi, Apr 18: The BJP named Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur as its Bhopal candidate to take on Digivijaya Singh of the Congress. There was a controversy that surrounded after the opposition asked why a ticket was being given to someone who is accused in the Malegaon blasts case.

On September 29 2008, six people were killed after a bomb exploded at Malegaon in Maharashtra. Pragya Thakur was arrested and a chargesheet filed against her. It was alleged that her motorcycle was used in the blast.

The Maharashtra ATS alleged that she was part of several conspiracy meetings. It was also alleged that she was close to two accused, Sunil Joshi and Ram Kalsanghra and allowed them to use her motorcycle.

On April 13 2011, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the case and filed a chargesheet in 2016. The chargesheet exonerated her, while prosecuting Col Purohit. The NIA cited weak evidence to be the reason. It also dropped charges under the MCOCA.

The NIA said while the bike was in her name, it was being used by Kalsanghra for two years prior to the blast. Further the NIA also said he took care of the bike, while paying for its expenses.

Following the chargesheet, Thakur was granted bail by the special NIA court. It however did not accept the exoneration and said that she along with Purohit would face trial under the UAPA. In October 2018, the court framed charges against her and six others for murder, criminal conspiracy and other offences.