Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur

Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Lt Col Prasad Purohit and six others accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast will stand trial on stringent terror charges, a special NIA court yesterday ruled in the politically-sensitive case that had raised speculation of saffron militancy. The ruling left the National Investigation Agency red faced which had given clean chit to Sadhvi Pragya. Rejecting the pleas of the accused for discharge from the case, a special NIA court, however, dropped some sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against as well as Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the accused, which is punishable by up to life in prison.