india

Updated: Jun 08, 2020 08:39 IST

The National Investigating Agency (NIA) has sought an in-camera trial in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, in which Bhopal MP Pragya Thakur is an accused. The prosecuting agency moved an application for this in the special court on Thursday and it will be heard this afternoon.

Six people were killed and over 100 injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Malegaon in north Maharashtra on September 29, 2008. The police claimed, the motorbike was registered in Thakur’s name and that led to her arrest in 2008.

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If the court allows the plea, no one other than the accused, their lawyers, prosecution team and concerned court staff would be allowed to attend the hearing. It also implies a ban on any publication of anything related to the trial without obtaining explicit permission from the court .

Earlier, on the request of the defense lawyer the hearing on what charges are applicable to the accused was made in-camera. After the order, whereby the court agreed to drop charges of MCOCA againt the accused, the proceedings were made open.

The trial in the case began last year and so far the prosecution has already examined 124 witnesses out of 475 total listed witnesses. Most of the witnesses examined so far were those injured in the blast

Seven persons, including Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, are facing trial in the case. Thakur was granted bail by Bombay High Court in 2017.