Malegaon bomb blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur has been arrested by the Madhya Pradesh police for alleged involvement in the murder of Sunil Joshi, who was a suspect in the Samjhauta Express bomb blasts case of February 2007.
According to special public prosecutor Rohini Salian, the MP police had moved an application in the special MCOCA court in Mumbai on Friday seeking permission to arrest Sadhvi Pragya, who has been hospitalised. She was arrested the same day. The application was filed by Vinod Singh Kushwah, police sub-inspector, Industrial Area police station, Madhya Pradesh. Thakur has been charged under Sections 302, 120(b) and 201 of the Indian Penal Code.
Ms Salian added that the MP police hasn’t yet moved any application for custody.
Joshi was shot dead in Dewas, MP, on December 18, 2007. He was one of the top suspects in the police investigation of the Samjhauta Express bomb blasts, which killed 68 people. It is suspected that Joshi was killed by associates involved in the bomb blasts. Thakur’s lawyer, advocate Ganesh Sovani, said, “Thakur will be taken to MP depending on the requirement of the police. Mr Kushwah had sufficiently interrogated Thakur last week before moving the MCOCA court. Her physical custody is not mandatory if nothing is recovered from her.” Thakur, who is under treatment for lumbar spondylosis, has applied for bail on medical grounds and the hearing is due March 1.