Malegaon blasts: NIA may let off Sadhvi Pragya, Lt Col Purohit

NEW DELHI: After over four years, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will file a charge-sheet in the 2008 Malegaon blasts in a month’s time and is taking statements from Indian Army officers who were part of a Court of Inquiry against the key accused Lt Colonel Prasad Purohit.
Sources have told ET that the charge-sheet is in “finalisation stage” and NIA could omit charging some of the 14 accused who were earlier charged by Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in the case.NIA had taken over the case in 2011. Sources in the agency said available evidence was being “carefully vetted” against key accused like Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and Purohit who have alleged false implication by ATS.
NIA has decided to take statements of Army officers who testified in a Court of Inquiry (CoI) held by the Army against Purohit. The CoI apparently has not indicted Purohit for any terror links. Recordings made by accused Sudhakar Dwivedi of meetings held between Abhinav Bharat members are also being studied to check if Purohit had ever spoken of any blast plans or if the same was limited to a having a separate flag etc.
A source said it was also being legally vetted if Pragya could be charged simply because the bike used in the blast was registered in her name. “It is a matter of record that she was not using the bike for 2 years before the blasts and had sold it to deceased Sunil Joshi. Bills for the bike’s servicing during those 2 years were paid by Joshi. The bike with a bomb was planted by one Ramji Kalsangre who is absconding,” a source said.
NIA is also video-graphing the testimonies of key witnesses in the case. It has questioned Pragya and Purohit in jail. “There is no final decision on whether Pragya and Purohit will be charged or not,” an official said.
NIA recently objected to their bail pleas claiming prosecutable evidence against them. The bail pleas are to be decided by a NIA court after Supreme Court in April removed Mcoca charges against the accused.