Malegaon Blast: Mumbai Court stays bailable warrant against Pragya Singh Thakur

The Mumbai Court on Wednesday stayed the execution of the bailable warrant against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) and prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon Blast case, Pragya Singh Thakur, after she told the Court that she has been hospitalised..Special judge AK Lahoti had issued a bailable warrant against Thakur on March 11 for non-appearance during the ongoing trial in the case..The Court had also directed Thakur to appear before it on March 20 and pay ₹10,000 for cancelling the warrant.On March 20, Wednesday, Thakur's lawyer informed the Court that the BJP MP was admitted to a hospital in Mumbai soon after she arrived in the city to appear before the court. The Court was also informed that Thakur was not served with the bailable warrant by the prosecution agency, National Investigation Agency (NIA). .The Court then exempted her appearance for March 20 and stayed execution of the warrant till her discharge from the hospital."The application depicts that Thakur is admitted in the hospital after alighting at Mumbai Airport. NIA has not filed the compliance report of bailable warrant till 3 pm. So it was asked orally to the officer present on behalf of NIA in the court and he has submitted that for execution of warrant NIA Bhopal and NIA Ahmadabad was intimated. Thus, warrant is unserved. Considering the reasons put-forth in the application, the execution of warrant is hereby stayed till Thakur get the discharge from the concerned hospital", the judge said. .The Court also directed Thakur to file her hospital discharge certificate. .Earlier, Judge Lahoti had ordered all accused to remain present before court for recording of their statements.He had clarified on February 25 that if any accused failed to remain present as and when dates are fixed by the court, action will be taken against the accused as per procedure.The Court had exempted Thakur from appearance for a day after she had claimed ill-health but had asked her to remain present on a fixed date February 27. Thakur failed to comply with this order even till March 11, prompting the court to finally issue a bailable warrant against her.On March 20, the court fixed a tentative date of March 27 for Thakur to appear for recording of her statement in the trial.