Mumbai | July 31, 2025 — In a landmark judgment, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai on Thursday acquitted all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, citing insufficient evidence and procedural lapses. Among those acquitted are BJP Member of Parliament Pragya Singh Thakur and former Army officer Lt Col Prasad Purohit.
The September 29, 2008, blast in Malegaon—a communally sensitive town in Maharashtra’s Nashik district—claimed six lives and left over 100 injured. The attack, which occurred during the holy month of Ramzan, was widely seen as a turning point in India’s internal security discourse, bringing the issue of right-wing extremism to the fore.
Acquittal Cites Lack of Conclusive Evidence
The court ruled that the charges were not proven beyond a reasonable doubt. It held that the prosecution failed to establish a direct link between the accused and the explosion. Notably, the court observed that:
- There was no conclusive evidence to prove that the motorcycle used in the blast belonged to Pragya Thakur.
- The presence of RDX at Lt Col Purohit’s residence could not be substantiated.
- The spot panchnama (on-site record) was improperly conducted.
- Voice sample testing procedures were not followed as per prescribed norms.
- Alleged conspiratorial meetings among the accused could not be proven.
Timeline of a Tumultuous Trial
The case, initially investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) under late officer Hemant Karkare, alleged links between the accused and the radical Hindu outfit Abhinav Bharat. The ATS had charged the group under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including murder, criminal conspiracy, and terrorism.
In 2011, the probe was transferred to the NIA. In 2016, the agency filed a supplementary chargesheet significantly diluting the earlier case, alleging that ATS had planted evidence to implicate Purohit and lacked sufficient grounds to prosecute Thakur. Nevertheless, the court in 2017 ruled that seven accused would still face trial under UAPA, though it dropped charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
The formal trial began in December 2018, during which 323 prosecution witnesses were examined. Thirty-seven of them turned hostile.
Politically Charged Proceedings
The case attracted national attention due to its political overtones. In 2015, Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian alleged that she was asked to “go soft” on the accused—a claim that drew sharp reactions and raised questions over the integrity of the investigation.
Courtroom proceedings over the years saw frequent disruptions and controversies. In one instance, Pragya Thakur, by then a sitting MP, objected to courtroom conditions, including inadequate seating and unhygienic surroundings.
Prosecution's Stand and Final Arguments
In its final arguments, the NIA contended that the Malegaon blast was part of a larger conspiracy to incite communal tensions and terrorise the Muslim population of the town. It claimed the accused had deliberately chosen the timing—Ramzan, just ahead of Navratri—to deepen communal divides.
The NIA maintained that it had presented “relevant, admissible, cogent, and wholly reliable” evidence to establish the accused’s role in the bombing. However, the court concluded that the chain of evidence did not meet the threshold required for conviction under criminal law.
The Accused
Those acquitted include:
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Pragya Singh Thakur – BJP MP
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Lt Col Prasad Purohit – Former Army officer
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Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay
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Ajay Rahirkar
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Sudhakar Dwivedi
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Sudhakar Chaturvedi
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Sameer Kulkarni
Aftermath and Implications
The verdict marks the closure of one of India’s most contentious terror trials. It is expected to spark renewed debate over the politicisation of terrorism investigations, the credibility of probe agencies, and the legal safeguards needed in high-stakes cases involving communal violence.
For many victims and their families, the acquittal brings a sense of disappointment and unresolved grief. Sayyed Liyaqat, whose 10-year-old daughter Farheen died in the blast while buying snacks, expressed his dismay: “We waited 17 years for justice. Today, we go home empty-handed.”
While the judgment delivers legal closure, the broader political and societal reverberations of the case are likely to endure.
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