Malegaon blasts case: MP Pragya Singh Thakur supports NIA plea for in-camera trial

MUMBAI: In a reply supporting NIA's plea to make the 2008 Malegaon blasts case proceedings in-camera, accused MP Pragya Singh Thakur's defence has cited the "nature of allegations, sensitivity of religious communities and safety and independence of witnesses". The reply, submitted to special NIA judge VS Padalkar on Monday, expressed apprehensions of threat to national security and the "potential to jeopardize" fairness of trial.

Thakur's reply said that in the past, after publication of news on the proceedings, members of a "certain community" have staged dharnas at places like Nashik , Malegaon and Pune. "Witnesses scheduled to appear before the court may be from places like Malegaon, Nashik, Pune, Indore , etc, and considering this, if the identity and security of the eyewitnesses is not secured and if they are persistently exposed to entrances (sic) material published by the print or electronic media in terms of proceedings, it directly influences witnesses," the plea said.

Co-accused, Lt Col Prasad Purohit, too sought in-camera proceedings telling the court that confidential documents on military intell ops are to be produced in the trial and if in-camera proceedings are not held, "even an anti-national person, a gangster or a criminal will be entitled to attend court and will be entitled to know the contents of the documents". Referring to the first investigating agency in the case, Purohit's reply claimed that there is a grave danger to the lives of witnesses from the then ATS officers. His reply said he apprehends that an attempt to tamper with witnesses will be made by them to prevent exposure that they fabricated evidence.

Fearing for the safety of accused, the reply cited an alleged instance where "an accused was shot outside court by a gangster dressed as a lawyer" a few years ago.

But contradicting the stand of the two, another accused, Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay opposed the plea and questioned why the NIA had made the plea at such a belated stage. Nisar Bilal, father of a victim, Sayyed Ahmed, too opposed the NIA plea stating that the public and victims are entitled to know the progress of the case through the media. The matter will come up for hearing on Tuesday, when other accused are expected to file their replies to NIA's plea.