Mumbai's Special NIA court on Thursday acquitted all the seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, stating that the prosecution failed to establish the case beyond a reasonable doubt
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. File pic
Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday hailed the acquittal of all the seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, highlighting how "Bhagwa (saffron)" has never been and never will be related to terrorism.
"Aatankvad bhagwa na kabhi tha, na hai, na kabhi rahega," ("Terrorism was never saffron, is not, and will never be") the Maharashtra CM posted on X.
आतंकवाद भगवा न कभी था, ना है, ना कभी रहेगा!#MalegaonVerdict
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) July 31, 2025
On Wednesday, the Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai pronounced its decision in the case. It acquitted all the seven accused — including former Member of Parliament (MP) Sadhvi Pragya and and Lt Colonel Prasad Purohit — in the 2008 Malegaon blast case on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish the case beyond a reasonable doubt, news agency ANI reported.
The court had examined 323 prosecution witnesses and eight defence witnesses before pronouncing its verdict. The accused have been acquitted of all the charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Arms Act.
"Prosecution proved that a blast occurred in Malegaon but failed to prove that bomb was placed in that motorcycle," the Judge Abhay Lohati said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde also welcomed the verdict and said "truth can never be defeated."
"From the very beginning, Shiv Sena has unequivocally supported the patriots who were falsely accused and imprisoned in the Malegaon blast case. This is because Shiv Sena never had any doubt that their cause was just. Colonel Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya, and the other seven individuals had to endure immense mental and physical torment due to these accusations. The Hindu community will never forget this injustice," Shinde posted on X in Marathi.
सत्य कधी पराभूत होत नाही :
— Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) July 31, 2025
सतरा वर्षांच्या दीर्घ लढाईनंतर मालेगाव बॉम्बस्फोटातील सात कथित आरोपींची विशेष न्यायालयाने निर्दोष मुक्तता केली. न्यायाला उशीर झाला हे खरं आहे, पण सत्य कधीही पराजित होत नसतं, हे पुन्हा एकवार सिध्द झालंय.
मालेगावच्या स्फोटांप्रकरणी खोटे आरोप करुन…
Before the verdict was delivered, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ram Kadam hit out at the previous Congress government for "targeting" Hindu outfits by using the term "bhagwa aatank (saffron terrorism)" to malign them.
"When the Malegaon bomb blast case happened, there was a Congress government in Maharashtra. That government deliberately pressurised the investigating officers and tried to implicate Hindu outfits, RSS and several of our leaders in this case. Congress is the one that gave birth to the term 'Bhagwa Aatank' (saffron terror). Saffron is supreme for us, for Hindutva and Sanatana Dharma," the BJP leader said.
In 2010, then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had used the term "Bhagwa Aatank", accusing certain Hindutva outfits of indulging in terror acts, including the 2008 Malegaon blast.
Seventeen years ago, on September 29, an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon City's Bhikku Chowk, killing six people and injuring 95 others. In the beginning, 11 people were accused in the case; however, the court ultimately framed charges against seven.
The NIA court has ordered the Maharashtra Government to award Rs 2-lakh compensation to the families of the victims and Rs 50,000 compensation to the injured.
The lawyer representing the victims' families said that he will be challenging the acquittal of the seven people in High Court.
(With ANI inputs)
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