Malegaon blast case: Court asks MP Pragya Singh Thakur, other accused to appear on December 19

The special court, which is likely to begin hearing the case on a day-to-day basis from Friday, earlier this week asked all the accused to remain present before it on Thursday but only three of them did so

Four of the seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, including Bharatiaya Janata Party lawmaker Pragya Singh Thakur, failed to appear before a special court hearing the matter.

BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur. (File photo)

Lawyers of Thakur, Ramesh Upadhayay, Sudhakar Dwivedi, and Sudhakar Chaturvedi filed an application pleading their exemption from appearing before the court citing the Covid-19 pandemic. The court allowed the plea but asked them to appear before the court on December 19.

The special court, which is likely to begin hearing the case on a day-to-day basis from Friday, earlier this week asked all the accused to remain present before it as it sought to resume the trial on Thursday. But only three accused, Sameer Kulkarni, Ajay Rahirkar, and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, appeared.

The court has asked all the lawyers to cooperate for the resumption of the trial. The prosecution had brought an independent witness, who was partly examined before the Covid-19 lockdown in March. The court has asked it to resume the recording of the evidence from Friday when the witness will be cross-examined.

Six people were killed and over 100 wounded when a bomb planted on a motorcycle went off at Malegaon in September 2008.