Mumbai: Sadhwi Pragya's lawyer said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is delaying the trial of the 2008 Malegaon blast case. JP Mishra, lawyer of the BJP lawmaker came accused the central agency of delaying the trial after an NIA trial court in Mumbai, expressed unhappiness over the absence of all the accused during the hearing.
The court directed all the accused persons to physically appear before the court on the next hearing on January 4.
"It is the NIA which is delaying the trial and not us. if they allege that case is delayed due to the absence of the accused, then let them show examples when we have sought adjournment on basis of absence," Mishra told reporters here.
Mishra was responding to the allegations of Sameer Kulkarni, who is another accused in the case. Earlier, Kulkarni had reportedly said that it is sad that other accused in the case including Sadhvi Pragya are delaying the trial by seeking exemptions.
Notably, four out of the seven accused were present before the court. Three accused persons, including Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, Lt Col Prasad Purohit and Sudhakar Chaturvedi did not appear before the special NIA court today. Applications for exemption from today's hearing were filed before the court by their lawyers.
Mishra, during the hearing, appraised the court that all arrangements were made for Pragya's travel to Mumbai including her stay at a government guest house in order to attend the hearing, however, she was admitted to AIIMS, Delhi for treatment after the advice from her doctors, and could not come to Mumbai.
