A special NIA court on Friday directed all the seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, including BJP's Bhopal candidate Pragya Singh Thakur, to appear before it at least once a week while expressing displeasure over their absence in the courtroom.

Special NIA Judge Vinod Padalkar, conducting the trial in the case, also said that the plea for exemption must be filed by 11 am for each hearing and if the reasons for it are not cogent, the court reserves the right to take appropriate action.