Mumbai : In a landmark judgment delivered on July 31, 2025, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai acquitted all seven individuals accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit, after nearly 17 years of legal proceedings. The court cited a complete lack of credible evidence linking them to the bombing .
Key Facts:
The September 29, 2008 blast occurred near a mosque in Malegaon, Maharashtra, killing six and injuring over 100 people. The bomb was reportedly attached to a motorcycle .
The accused were charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), along with relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Arms Act, based on allegations that included criminal conspiracy, terror acts, and murder .
The trial formally began in December 2018, after the NIA officially took over the investigation in 2011, citing doubts over the Maharashtra ATS probe .
Final arguments concluded on April 19, 2025, following which the case was reserved for judgment in early May, eventually delayed until late July due to its complexity and voluminous documentation .
Court’s Observations:
Special Judge A.K. Lahoti emphasized that the prosecution failed to establish a credible chain of evidence.
On Pragya Thakur, the court found no concrete proof that she owned the motorcycle allegedly used in the blast—a key point of the prosecution’s case .
On Col. Purohit, the judgment noted no evidence showing his involvement in manufacturing explosives, debunking allegations related to RDX possession at his residence .
The court dismissed applicability of the more stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), citing defective sanction orders and procedural lapses in the prosecution’s case .
Ultimately, the accused were entitled to the benefit of the doubt, leading to their full acquittal in the absence of conclusive evidence .
Broader Significance:
This verdict draws a close on one of India’s most prolonged and politically sensitive terror trials. It has brought renewed scrutiny to investigative methods used by the Maharashtra ATS in high-profile cases, echoing criticisms that were previously raised in both the 2006 and 2008 Malegaon investigations over flawed evidence, hostile witness turnarounds, and possible coerced confessions .
Accused Who Were Acquitted:
Pragya Singh Thakur (former BJP MP)
Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit (Retd)
Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay
Ajay Rahirkar
Sudhakar Chaturvedi
Sudhakar Dhar Dwivedi
Sameer Kulkarni
