Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, Jul 31: In a major development nearly 17 years after the 2008 Malegaon blasts, a special NIA court on Wednesday acquitted all seven accused, including BJP MP Pragya Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, citing lack of concrete evidence.
The court ruled that while a bomb blast did occur, the prosecution failed to prove that the explosive was planted on the motorbike allegedly linked to the accused. “No reliable and cogent evidence has been found,” the court observed, adding that terrorism has no religion and convictions cannot be based on perception.
Lt Col Purohit, reinstated in the Army pending trial, expressed gratitude to the Indian Army and his legal team. “I was accused and now exonerated. Bygones should be bygones,” he told.
Pragya Thakur, visibly emotional, said, “This is not just my victory but a win for ‘Bhagwa’. My entire life was disgraced, but today justice has prevailed. Those who insulted saffron will face divine justice.”
The blast on September 29, 2008, killed six people and injured 101 in Malegaon, around 200 km from Mumbai. The NIA had claimed the attack was intended to create fear in the Muslim community during the holy month of Ramzan.
During the trial, the prosecution examined 323 witnesses, but 37 turned hostile.
Others acquitted in the case include Major Ramesh Upadhyay (Retd), Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, and Sameer Kulkarni.