Pragya Thakur, 6 others acquitted in Malegaon blast case; ‘can’t convict on moral evidence’: NIA court
Special Judge AK Lahoti flagged several loopholes in the prosecution's case and the investigation carried out, and said the accused persons deserved the benefit of doubt
A special NIA court on Thursday (July 31) acquitted all the seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and former Army officer Lt Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit in the September 2008 Malegaon blasts case in which six persons were killed and 101 others injured.
Special Judge AK Lahoti, assigned to hear cases of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), flagged several loopholes in the prosecution's case and the investigation carried out, and said the accused persons deserved the benefit of doubt.
The judge, while reading out the judgement, said there was no "reliable and cogent" evidence to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt. The provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) were not applicable to the case, the court said.
The court also said that it was not established that the motorbike used in the blast was registered in the name of Thakur, as claimed by the prosecution. It has also not been established that the blast was carried out by the bomb allegedly planted on the bike, the court said.
“The court has come to the conclusion that the injured people were not 101 but 95 only, and there was manipulation in some medical certificates,” the court ruled.
Seven accused, including BJP leader and former MP Pragya Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, Major (retired) Ramesh Upadhyay, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Sudhakar Chaturvedi and Sameer Kulkarni faced trial in the case.
The charges comprised UAPA sections 16 (committing terrorist act) and 18 (conspiring to commit terrorist act) and various IPC sections, including 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 153 (a) (promoting enmity between two religious groups).
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which conducted the probe into the case, has sought "commensurate punishment" for the accused.
The trial, which started in 2018, got over on April 19, 2025, and the case was reserved for judgement.
The explosive device, allegedly strapped to a motorcycle, detonated near a mosque on September 29, 2008.
The blast took place during the holy month of Ramzan, just before the Navratri festival, the NIA pointed out, claiming the intention of the accused was to strike terror in a section of the Muslim community.
The case was initially probed by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) before being transferred to the NIA in 2011.
Also read related Malegaon stories:
Maharashtra: Judge conducting trial in 2008 Malegaon blast case transferred
Malegaon blast case: Pragya, two other accused exempted from court appearance
Malegaon blast: Pragya Thakur’s plea rejected; asked to be present in court
Malegaon blast case: Another witness turns hostile; says forced to name Yogi
Pragya appears in NIA court, says didn't know about Malegaon blast
Pragya was stripped, beaten by Karkare: Malegaon blast case accused
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Live Updates
- 31 July 2025 2:44 PM IST
Congress created conspiracy of ‘Bhagwa terror’: Ravishankar Prasad
BJP leader Ravishankar Prasad says, “The Congress can go to any limits for vote bank. Congress created a conspiracy of ‘Bhagwa terror’ and started spreading it... The court found that there was no evidence or chassis number of the motorcycle. The witnesses also said that they were tortured and forced to make statements... Chidambaram does not only give certificates to Pakistan... He raised the issue of Bhagwa terror as the Home Minister and conspired to create a narrative... Why is Rahul Gandhi running away from the truth? Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the nation... Will the prosecution apologise? The way Sadhvi Pragya was tortured, I cannot say openly... The people who were falsely accused must be given compensation... Action should be taken against those officials who falsely accused them...” - 31 July 2025 2:41 PM IST
This language (saffron terror) was not good: Rajya Sabha MP Ujjwal Nikam
Rajya Sabha MP Ujjwal Nikam says, “It is wrong to use this kind of language (the term ‘Bhagwa terror’, meaning ‘saffron terror’). The court has clearly stated in its judgment that the prosecution has failed. It means that the prosecution could not prove the serious allegations made against the accused. An accused does not have caste, race or religion. The way saffron terrorism was propagated at that time was also completely wrong. The political people who had preached that this is a saffron terrorist, it was against a specific religion. This language was not good...” - 31 July 2025 2:31 PM IST
Owaisi: Will Centre, Maharashtra govt challenge verdict in SC?
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi says, “... After 17 years, all the accused were acquitted. The Maharashtra government went to the Supreme Court against the verdict of the Mumbai 2006 Mumbai train blast case. Won’t this be a hypocrisy on terrorism if they do not go to the Supreme Court? Military-grade RDX was used in the blast. Where did it come from?... Who is responsible for these bomb blasts? The ones who actually did it are roaming free. My question is, will the Modi government and the Maharashtra government go to the Supreme Court against this verdict?” - 31 July 2025 2:26 PM IST
Uma Bharti seeks ‘extraordinary action’ against Congress, Left, SP leaders
Former Madhya Pradesh CM Uma Bharti says, “...I am so happy that I do not have words to express. When Pragya was in Nashik jail, I learned through a police officer that she was extremely tortured. I went to meet her when no one else used to. I cried when I met her... The way she was tortured, it is very difficult for any woman to bear that... I want to ask what punishment P Chidambaram, Digvijaya Singh, Rahul Gandhi, Left Front, Samajwadi Party, and Congress leaders should be given, who tried to establish the term ‘Bhagwa terror’?... Extraordinary action should be taken against them...” - 31 July 2025 2:17 PM IST
People have faith in court: Haryana Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam
Haryana Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam says, “The court has acquitted them. All the people of the country have faith in the court. If the court has given an order, it will be a good one.” - 31 July 2025 2:13 PM IST
Our family was shattered: Sister of accused Ramesh Dhanwade
Neeta Dhanwade, advocate and sister of accused Ramesh Dhanwade, says, “...We had already maintained our innocence, but we had to fight the case for 17 years. Today’s decision has become very important, and we are happy... The 17 years we have endured cannot be fully expressed in words. Our financial situation was not favourable, and mentally we were completely exhausted. Our whole family was shattered because of this... It was the Congress government that promoted the concept of Hindu terrorism. Now, the court’s decision has proved that Hindus can never be terrorists...” - 31 July 2025 2:08 PM IST
Pragya Thakur was tortured so much that she could not walk: Ravishankar Prasad
BJP leader Ravishankar Prasad says, “Congress’s conspiracy of Hindu terror has been destroyed. There was no evidence against any of the accused. Colonel Purohit, who fought against terrorism in Kashmir, was accused. Pragya Thakur was accused of using her motorcycle in the blast. She was tortured so much that she could not walk after that. This was a Congress conspiracy for sheer vote bank politics... We welcome the court’s decision...” - 31 July 2025 2:06 PM IST
Court demolished concept of Hindu terror: Himanta
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says, “The Union home minister also told the House yesterday (July 30) that Hindus by philosophy cannot be terrorists because our culture and our civilisation never encourages terrorism. But during the Congress rule, a terminology was coined to appease a particular community: ‘Hindu terror’. Hindus and terror are two opposite concepts. Hindus never believe in terror, and Hindus can never be terrorists. For me, it is a matter of immense satisfaction that today a Mumbai court also demolished the concept of Hindu terror and whoever was accused in the name of ‘Hindu terror’ was acquitted and released....” - 31 July 2025 2:02 PM IST
This is a verdict, not justice: Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi
Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi says, “The Congress has been saying from the first day that religion is not associated with terrorism. This term was coined by the then Home Secretary RK Singh. The BJP kept him as a minister and MP for 10 years, sitting alongside them... This is a verdict, not justice... BJP was not accepting them to be the accused...” - 31 July 2025 2:01 PM IST
Congress conspiracy, dirty politics exposed: Bommai
Former Karnataka CM and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai says, “It is the victory of truth. The whole judgment has exposed the conspiracy and dirty politics of Congress to bring in ‘saffron terrorism’, which was not there. It was done to cover up their lapses and to support Islamic terrorist groups. It has been very much exposed. I think Congress should apologise to the country.”
