Court can’t bar Pragya from contesting

Six people were killed and over 100 injured in a blast at Malegaon on September 29, 2008

Court can't bar Pragya from contesting

Pragya Singh Thakur

In a relief for Malegaon blast accused and BJP Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Singh Thakur, an NIA court here on Wednesday rejected a plea to prohibit her from contesting elections, saying it has no power to do so.

Special judge for National Investigation Agency (NIA) cases V S Padalkar rejected the application filed by Nisar Sayyad, whose son was among those killed in the Malegaon blast. Six people were killed and over 100 injured in a blast at Malegaon on September 29, 2008.

"This court does not have any legal powers to prohibit anyone from contesting the polls. It is the job of electoral officers to decide. This court cannot stop the accused from contesting the polls," Judge Padalkar said.

In another incident, a complaint was filed on Monday against Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur for hurting sentiments of the Muslim community through her Babri Masjid demolition remark. A complaint to lodge an FIR was filed by All India Ulama Board against BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal.

The complaint has been filed at Aishbagh Police Station. The Muslim board has urged to lodge an FIR against Thakur under Sections 124A, 153A, 153B, 147, 505A, 298 and 295 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The District Election Officer and Collector Sudam Khade had on Monday directed the police to file an FIR against Sadhvi Pragya Thakur for her remark on the demolition of Babri Masjidin Ayodhya.

The Election Officer found her statement in violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) which is in force during polling.

The Election Commission (EC) has directed the police to file an FIR against BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur for her remark that she was "proud" of her participation in demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya in 1992.

The EC Saturday had issued a show-cause notice to Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast accused currently out on bail, over her remark made during an interview to a news channel. "We are going to file an FIR against the BJP candidate for her remarks over Ayodhya at the TT Nagar Police Station," district election officer and collector Sudam Khade said.

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