Mumbai News LIVE Updates: `Law doesn`t permit court to convict a person solely based on suspicion`

Mumbai News LIVE Updates: Govt owes it to people to nab culprits, says Prithviraj Chavan
Former Maharashtra chief minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday said the responsibility of presenting evidence in the Malegaon blast case was with the Union government and the National Investigation Agency. He was commenting after a special court in Mumbai acquitted all the seven accused in the case noting there was "no reliable and cogent evidence" against them. The verdict came 17 years after an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Malegaon town, located about 200 km from Mumbai, on September 29, 2008 killing six persons and injuring 101 others. (PTI)

Mumbai News LIVE Updates: "Extremely grateful to those who stood by us", says Lt Colonel Purohit after acquittal in Malegaon blast case
Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit, one of the accused acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case on Thursday, hailed the verdict, saying that he is extremely grateful to the country and those who stood by him. Speaking to mediapersons, Lt Colonel Purohit said, "I am extremely grateful to the country and those who stood by us. I am grateful to the judiciary for understanding the case and delivering justice to all of us. (ANI)

Mumbai News LIVE Updates: What happened to my father, asks wanted accused Kalsangra`s son
The son of wanted accused Ramji Kalsangra hailed the court`s verdict on Thursday in the 2008 Malegaon blast case but sought closure for himself and his family with regards to the whereabouts of his father, missing now for 17 years. An explosive device strapped to a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Malegaon town, located about 200 km from Mumbai, on September 29, 2008 killing six persons and injuring 101 others. Seventeen years later, a special court in Mumbai on Thursday acquitted all the seven accused noting there was "no reliable and cogent evidence". (PTI)

Mumbai News LIVE Updates: `Aware of trauma caused by acquittal but suspicion not basis for conviction`
A special court, while acquitting all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, has observed it was aware of the frustration and trauma caused by a heinous crime going unpunished and stressed that conviction cannot be based on suspicion sans reliable and cogent evidence. Strong suspicion cannot take the place of evidence, special Judge A K Lahoti noted, adding that terrorism has no religion. (PTI)