2008 Malegaon Blast Case, High Court Issues Notice to NIA, Seven Acquitted Facing Appeal by Victims’ Families
Families of victims challenge acquittal of seven accused, including Pragya Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, citing flawed investigation
Mumbai, Sep 18: The Bombay High Court on Thursday issued notices to the seven persons acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, following an appeal filed by the families of the victims. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad, also issued notices to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Maharashtra government, and scheduled the next hearing six weeks later.
The appeal, filed by relatives of six people who died in the blast, challenges the special NIA court’s July 31 acquittal of the accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit. The petitioners contended that deficiencies in the investigation should not result in acquittals, and emphasized that conspiracies carried out in secrecy often leave little direct evidence.
On September 29, 2008, a motorcycle-borne explosive detonated near a mosque in Malegaon, Nashik district, killing six and injuring 101 others. The appeal argues that the trial court acted as a “mere post office,” failing to actively examine facts or summon witnesses, and criticized the NIA for allegedly diluting allegations against the accused.
The NIA court had acquitted the accused, stating there was no “reliable and cogent evidence” to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The prosecution had alleged that the blast was orchestrated by right-wing extremists to terrorize the Muslim community in the sensitive town.
Other accused in the case include Major Ramesh Upadhyay (retired), Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, and Sameer Kulkarni.
The High Court will now consider the appeal filed by the victims’ families, seeking to overturn the acquittals and secure convictions.
