A special court in Mumbai delivered a significant verdict today in the Malegaon 2008 bomb blast case. All 7 accused have been acquitted, including former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dhar Dwivedi, and Sameer Kulkarni. The court asserted, 'Terrorism has no religion as no religion endorses violence.'
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-The special NIA court acquitted all accused in the Malegaon blast case, stating that no religion permits violence; hence terrorism has no religion. Compensation of 2 lakh rupees for the families of the deceased and 50,000 rupees for the injured will be provided.
-The court acquitted all seven accused, declaring that 'no evidence is credible enough.'
Source: aajtak
-The court acknowledged that while the event was a grave offense against society, strong evidence is required for conviction, not just moral grounds. The court found no credible and substantial evidence against the accused, so all have been acquitted. The police may file a separate charge sheet against wanted accused if they desire. All acquitted will receive the court's order copy.
-The prosecution could not provide solid evidence deemed legally valid. Witness testimonies relied upon were also found weak. Mere stories or assumptions are insufficient; concrete evidence is needed for punishment. The court cannot rely solely on evidence fraught with serious doubts; the prosecution cannot proceed based only on suspicion.
-The court stated that the McOCA law was invalidated by the Supreme Court and thus removed from the case. The UAPA law approval granted by the Home Department (ACS Home) was without thorough examination. Hence, UAPA provisions do not apply in the case. It could not be proven that money from 'Abhinav Bharat' was used for any terrorist activity.
-The prosecution's main witnesses didn’t support its case. It failed to prove conspiracy meetings effectively.
-The court observed discrepancies in the spot panchanama. Dump data was unavailable. Barricading of the crime scene wasn't done, leading to inconclusive findings. The motorcycle's chassis number was erased and not restored, so there is no solid proof that it belonged to Sadhvi Pragya.
-Some medical certificates were issued by unverified practitioners and need validation. There’s no evidence to show Purohit brought RDX or that the bomb was assembled. It is unclear who parked the motorcycle with the bomb. The area was sealed due to Ramadan. Post-incident actions like stone pelting, damage, and seizing police guns lack clear evidence.
-Special Judge Lahoti commented, 'Some charges are dismissed while others accepted. The defense's claim that the ATS's Kalachowki office isn't a police station is rejected. The court concluded the bomb was placed outside the motorcycle, not inside.'
-The judge commenced reading the verdict.
-The judge arrived at the courtroom and will soon announce the verdict. All accused are present in the court.
-According to reports, before the verdict, Sadhvi Pragya and all accused had arrived at the court.
Timeline of Events in the Malegaon Blast Case
The Explosion and Initial Investigation
On September 29, 2008, a bomb exploded on a motorcycle at Bhiku Chowk, Malegaon, killing 6 and injuring 101. The deceased included Farheen aka Shagufta Sheikh Liaqat, Sheikh Mushtaq Yusuf, Sheikh Rafiq Mustafa, Irfan Ziaullah Khan, Syed Azhar Syed Nisar, and Haroon Shah Mohammed Shah.
The initial FIR was filed by local police but was later transferred to the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). The ATS claimed that 'Abhinav Bharat' operated like an organized crime syndicate since 2003. Their charge sheet named 16 accused including Pragya Singh Thakur and Colonel Purohit.
The breakthrough clue came from an LML Freedom motorcycle with a tampered license plate, later identified as being registered to Pragya Singh Thakur.
On October 23, 2008, Pragya Thakur, Shivanarayan Kalsangra, and Shyam Bhavarlal Shaou were arrested. By November 2008, 11 arrests had been made and the MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act) was applied.
Source: aajtak
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The Conspiracy and Charges
The prosecution alleged Colonel Purohit brought RDX from Kashmir and hid it at his home in Maharashtra. The bomb was allegedly prepared at Sudhakar Chaturvedi's home in the Deolali cantonment area. ATS claimed the motorcycle bomb was planted by Pravin Takalki, Ramji Kalsangra, and Sandeep Dange, operating under a large conspiracy.
Malegaon, a predominantly Muslim area, was purportedly chosen to incite communal unrest just before Ramadan. The first charge sheet filed in January 2009 included 11 accused and 3 wanted individuals. Electronic evidence included recordings and voice samples from Sudhakar Dhar Dwivedi's laptop.
After Takalki's arrest in February 2011, a supplementary charge sheet was filed. Investigations revealed that the conspiracy started with meetings in January 2008 in Faridabad, Bhopal, and Nashik, aimed at creating a 'Hindu Nation-Aryavarta' with its own constitution and flag.
NIA Takes Over and Legal Developments
In 2011, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the case and expedited proceedings. On May 13, 2016, the NIA filed a supplementary charge sheet, removing MCOCA charges, claiming ATS's use of the law was questionable.
NIA accused the ATS of fabricating false evidence and using coercive methods. They recorded statements from several witnesses anew, contradicting their previous statements to ATS. NIA alleged ATS intimidated witnesses.
On December 27, 2017, the trial court ruled MCOCA inapplicable but refused to discharge Pragya Thakur and six others. They were ordered to face trial under UAPA, IPC, and the Explosive Substances Act. Three accused were acquitted due to lack of evidence.
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The Trial and Witnesses
The trial commenced in December 2018. One accused contested the explosion itself, forcing many injured in Malegaon to testify in Mumbai. The prosecution brought forward testimony from 323 witnesses, citing call data records and voice samples as technical evidence.
By the time testimonies were scheduled, 26 witnesses had died, while 39 retracted their statements. However, 282 witnesses supported the prosecution. The prosecution also removed 41 witnesses from their original list.
Some accused, especially Pragya Thakur, alleged custodial torture by ATS. After prolonged proceedings, on April 19, 2025, Special Judge A.K. Lahoti's court reserved its judgment, which has been delivered today.
