Malegaon Blast Case: Special NIA Court Acquits All Seven Accused After 17 Years

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A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai on 31 July 2025 acquitted all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, citing insufficient evidence. The verdict comes nearly 17 years after the powerful blast that killed six people and injured more than 100 in Malegaon, Maharashtra—a Muslim-majority town located about 200 km from Mumbai.

On September 29, 2008, a bomb exploded near Bhikku Chowk in Malegaon during the holy month of Ramzan. The blast killed six people and injured around 100 others, though the court stated on 31 July 2025 that the confirmed number of injured was 95. Investigators initially suspected that the attack was intended to create communal tensions, given its timing ahead of the Hindu festival of Navratri.

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) led the initial investigation, which pointed towards alleged Hindu extremist involvement—a first in Indian terror probe history. The ATS claimed that an improvised explosive device (IED) was planted on an LML Freedom motorcycle, which was allegedly linked to BJP leader Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur.

Seven people were charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including conspiracy, murder, and promoting enmity. They are: Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, former BJP MP from Bhopal; Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit, a Military Intelligence officer; Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay; Ajay Rahirkar; Sudhakar Dwivedi; Sudhakar Chaturvedi; and Sameer Kulkarni. All accused were out on bail during the trial.

The ATS made its first arrests in October 2008, alleging that Pragya Thakur had lent her motorcycle to the conspirators. Authorities claimed the group was linked to a radical outfit called Abhinav Bharat.

In 2011, the probe was transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The agency later dropped charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), saying evidence was insufficient to sustain them. However, UAPA and IPC charges remained.

The trial formally began in 2018. Over 323 prosecution witnesses were examined, though around 40 turned hostile. The defence produced eight witnesses and alleged custodial torture and fabrication of evidence by the ATS. More than 10,800 documents were submitted during the trial, which spanned seven years and five judges before Special Judge A.K. Lahoti reserved the verdict in April 2025.

Special Judge Lahoti ruled that while the blast was proven to have occurred, the prosecution failed to establish the involvement of the accused beyond reasonable doubt. The court said there was no conclusive evidence that the motorcycle used in the blast belonged to Pragya Thakur as the engine and chassis numbers were unclear, or that Lt Col Purohit had stored or assembled RDX at his residence, or that any conspiracy meetings allegedly held by the accused had taken place.

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Judge Lahoti also said the prosecution proved the blast, but failed to establish that a bomb was fitted in the motorcycle. “Conspiracy and meetings also have not been proved. A grave degree of suspicion is established, but not enough to convict them; hence, the court has given them the benefit of the doubt. The interception of calls was not authorised. Both sanction orders to invoke are defective, and the UAPA cannot be invoked,” the court said.

The court also noted procedural lapses, defective UAPA sanctions, and unauthorized call interceptions. “Terrorism has no religion, but a conviction cannot be based on mere perception. Suspicion, however strong, is not proof,” Judge Lahoti said while delivering the verdict.
All seven accused were acquitted and given the benefit of the doubt.

Pragya Singh Thakur called the case “a tragedy that ruined her life,” alleging torture during custody and claiming the evidence was fabricated. Lt Col Purohit’s defence stated that he had infiltrated Abhinav Bharat as part of military intelligence operations and had been falsely implicated. Leaders from the BJP, NCP, and Shiv Sena welcomed the verdict, describing it as a victory of truth. Reacting to the acquittal of the Malegaon blast case accused, Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis wrote on X, “Terrorism was never saffron, is not, and will never be!” Meanwhile, families of the victims expressed deep disappointment over the verdict and announced their plans to challenge the acquittal in the High Court.

The court directed the government to provide ₹2 lakh to the families of those killed and ₹50,000 to the injured victims of the blast. The detailed order is awaited.

Background

The Malegaon blast case marked the first instance in India where alleged Hindu extremists were prosecuted for a terror attack, drawing nationwide attention and sparking debates on terrorism beyond religious lines. The investigation, however, was marred by conflicting witness statements, procedural lapses, and prolonged delays, with several key witnesses passing away before the trial could commence. Seventeen years later, the case concluded with the acquittal of all seven accused.

On September 29, 2008, a powerful bomb exploded near Bhikku Chowk in Malegaon, Nashik district, during the holy month of Ramzan. The blast claimed six lives and injured over 100 people, though the court later confirmed that the actual number of injured was 95. Initially, the Azad Nagar police station filed a case, which was later transferred to the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in November 2008. The ATS invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and filed its first chargesheet in January 2009, followed by a supplementary chargesheet in April 2011.

In April 2011, the Ministry of Home Affairs directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the case for further investigation. Five years later, in May 2016, the NIA filed a second supplementary chargesheet, dropping MCOCA charges against all seven accused.

In December 2017, Special Judge S.D. Tekale formally dropped MCOCA charges but allowed prosecution under sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act, the Explosive Substances Act, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). All accused were granted bail during the course of the trial. The case proceeded over the next several years, involving over 300 witnesses, numerous hostile testimonies, and alleged procedural lapses, ultimately ending with their acquittal on July 31, 2025. [Rh/VP]

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