In a noteworthy verdict, the Mumbai Special Court has acquitted all seven individuals accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case. The accused included former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, and retired Ramesh Upadhyay. Presiding over the case, Special Judge Lahoti made significant observations that have drawn attention.
Justice AK Lahoti remarked that terrorism does not align with any religion, as no belief system promotes violence. He underscored this point while announcing the acquittal of the accused, highlighting the absence of credible evidence against them.
Judge Lahoti emphasized that mere suspicion cannot propel a case forward. The prosecution failed to prove the allegations without a shadow of doubt. Although this incident represented a grave crime against society, legal accountability cannot be established solely on moral grounds.
The court revealed a lack of evidence on key elements, stating there was no proof to substantiate that Colonel Purohit procured RDX or assembled a bomb. Similarly, the ownership of the motorcycle purportedly used by Sadhvi Pragya remains unverified. Furthermore, details about who incited the post-explosion stone-throwing or seized the policeman's gun remain unresolved.
It is worth noting that on September 29, 2008, a bomb exploded strapped to a motorbike in Malegaon's Bhikku Chowk, resulting in the deaths of six individuals and injuries to 101 others. The deceased included Farheen alias Shagufta Shekh Liaquat, Shekh Mushtaq Yusuf, Shekh Rafiq Mustafa, Irfan Ziaullah Khan, Syed Azhar Syed Nisar, and Haroon Shah Mohammad Shah.
