The Bombay High Court on Thursday allowed Sadhvi Pragnya Singh Thakur, key accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case, to travel by second class air conditioned coach for the trial in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Bhopal considering her health condition. She will, however, have to bear the travel expenditure for her and the 11-member escort party.
Sadhvi had last month appealed against the decision of the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court denying her permission to travel by air or air conditioned railway coach. It said there was no such provision in the jail manual.
On Thursday, the Bombay High Court said that such a provision exists under clause no. 413 of the police manual, Sadhvi's lawyer Ganesh Sovani told The-Hindu . “It is a huge psychological relief for Sadhvi,” he said.
“The court mainly relied on two factors — that she is a woman and she is suffering from lumbar spondylosis. It has taken into consideration that she is willing to incur her and her escort party's expenses,” said Mr. Sovani.
