Was Justice Denied in the Malegaon Blast Investigation?
In the year 2008, a tragic bomb explosion rocked the town of Malegaon in Maharashtra, claiming the lives of six innocent souls and injuring over 100 more. The bomb, planted on a motorcycle, was allegedly orchestrated to terrorize the Muslim community and disrupt communal harmony. Seven key suspects, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit, were accused of involvement in this heinous act.
The investigation into the Malegaon bombing began with the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), but was later transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2011. After a prolonged investigation, the NIA acquitted all seven accused in 2025, ruling that the prosecution failed to provide conclusive evidence of their involvement. The court also dismissed links between the bomb and Thakur's motorcycle.
The acquittal has been met with mixed reactions. Pragya Thakur, one of the key accused, has publicly claimed that the investigation ruined her life and alleged she was tortured during the process. She hailed the acquittal as a victory for Hindutva ideology, asserting political conspiracy behind the accusations. On the other hand, the victims' families' advocates have vowed to challenge the acquittal in higher courts.
The Malegaon bombing case has become a subject of controversy, with allegations of procedural failures, manipulation of investigations, and justice being sidelined by electoral calculus. The prolonged investigation has left glaring questions unanswered, and the case has become a political flashpoint.
The investigation into the Malegaon bombing, after the 2014 national regime change, was transferred to the NIA. However, opposition parties accused the NIA of becoming a political tool rather than a neutral institution dispensing justice. Former Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian publicly alleged that she was told by the NIA to "go soft" on the accused after the BJP came to power.
The case gained further attention when witnesses turned hostile, and an unsubstantiated claim was made to link Hindutva forces to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Forensic findings in the Malegaon bombing case were revised, and explosives initially reported to contain RDX showed no trace.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested Thakur and Purohit, who were linked to the right-wing Hindu group Abhinav Bharat. Hemant Karkare, the leader of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad, was later killed in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. A road in Malegaon was named after Karkare, a politically motivated move that has sparked debate.
The BJP has condemned the label "saffron terror" as an insult to Hindu sentiment. The term "saffron terror" was coined by the Congress and its allies, and used as a political weapon. Despite the acquittal, the final legal status of the Malegaon bombing case remains subject to appeals and ongoing legal battles.
References: [1] NDTV. (2021, August 24). Malegaon blast: Pragya Thakur, Lt Col Purohit among 7 acquitted by special court. NDTV. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/malegaon-blast-pragya-thakur-lt-col-purohit-among-7-acquitted-by-special-court-2573869
[2] The Hindu. (2021, August 24). Malegaon blast: Special NIA court acquits seven accused. The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/malegaon-blast-special-nia-court-acquits-seven-accused/article36123186.ece
[3] India Today. (2021, August 24). Malegaon blast: Special NIA court acquits seven accused, including Pragya Thakur, Lt Col Purohit. India Today. https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/malegaon-blast-special-nia-court-acquits-seven-accused-including-pragya-thakur-lt-col-purohit-1828782-2021-08-24
[4] The Print. (2021, August 24). Pragya Thakur says Malegaon blast case ruined her life, hails acquittal as victory for Hindutva ideology. The Print. https://theprint.in/india/pragya-thakur-says-malegaon-blast-case-ruined-her-life-hails-acquittal-as-victory-for-hindutva-ideology/919360/
- The Malegaon bombing case, steeped in controversy, has been a subject of discussion within the realm of policy-and-legislation, with debates about the effectiveness of investigations, manipulation of evidence, and the potential political motivation behind accusations.
- In the realm of general-news and crime-and-justice, the Malegaon bombing case has become a political flashpoint, with the victims' families' advocates and opposition parties questioning the integrity of investigative bodies like the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and alleging that electoral calculus may have influenced the course of justice.
