Bombing suspects, including a former member of Parliament, are found not guilty by the Indian court
In a surprising turn of events, a special NIA court in Mumbai has acquitted all seven key figures accused in the 2008 Malegaon bombing case. The bombing, which occurred on September 29, 2008, near a mosque during Ramzan prayers, left six people dead and over 100 injured.
The accused include former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit (retired army officer), Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay, Ajay Rahirkar, Sameer Kulkarni, Sudhakar Dwivedi, and Sudhakar Chaturvedi.
Thakur, who was a member of the BJP at the time of the bomb blast, was alleged to have participated in conspiracy meetings and provided the motorcycle used in the blast. Lt Col Purohit was accused of supplying explosives and being centrally involved in planning the attack.
The trial, which began in 2018, ended in 2025, with the court ruling that there was a lack of sufficient evidence to convict the accused. The judge's statement suggests that the acquittal was not based on moral implications or public opinion of the case, as judgements cannot be based on such factors.
The verdict, however, has sparked controversy and criticism from some political leaders. Asaduddin Owaisi, an Indian parliamentarian, stated that those killed in the bombing were targeted for their religion and that the acquittal was a result of a poor investigation and prosecution.
This acquittal comes after Pragya Singh Thakur spent nine years in jail before being given bail in 2017. She also caused controversy by calling a radical Hindu who killed Mahatma Gandhi a "patriot". Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly rebuked Thakur for her comment.
During the trial, India's counter-terrorism unit claimed that the 2008 bombing was arranged to instigate religious tensions. The defence lawyer, Ranjit Nair, stated that the judge noted the prosecution's inability to present any proof against the accused.
Despite the involvement of India's counter-terrorism unit, the acquittal in the Malegaon bombing case has been deemed disappointing by Asaduddin Owaisi and others who believe that justice has not been served in this case.
[1] NDTV. (2025). Malegaon Blast: All 7 Accused in 2008 Case Acquitted by Special NIA Court in Mumbai. [online] Available at: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/malegaon-blast-all-7-accused-in-2008-case-acquitted-by-special-nia-court-in-mumbai-3262599
[2] The Hindu. (2025). Malegaon blast: Court acquits seven accused, including Pragya Thakur. [online] Available at: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/malegaon-blast-court-acquits-seven-accused-including-pragya-thakur/article64722248.ece
[3] India Today. (2025). Malegaon blast: All accused, including Pragya Thakur, acquitted by NIA court in Mumbai. [online] Available at: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/malegaon-blast-all-accused-including-pragya-thakur-acquitted-by-nia-court-in-mumbai-1847912-2025-04-26
[4] The Indian Express. (2025). Malegaon blast: Court acquits seven accused, including Pragya Singh Thakur, Lt Col Purohit. [online] Available at: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/malegaon-blast-court-acquits-seven-accused-including-pragya-singh-thakur-lt-col-purohit-7889876/
[1] The acquittal of the seven key figures, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and retired army officer Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit, in the Malegaon bombing case has become a subject of general-news and politics, as well as crime-and-justice debates.
[2] Critics, such as Indian parliamentarian Asaduddin Owaisi, have harshly criticized the verdict, claiming that poor investigation and prosecution led to the acquittal, ignoring the religious targets of the bombing.
