Following her acquittal in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, Pragya Singh Thakur has reacted emotionally, characterizing the verdict as a triumph for "Hindutva" and justice. The special NIA court in Mumbai acquitted all seven accused, including Thakur, citing a lack of reliable evidence and inconsistencies in the prosecution's case.
Thakur, a former BJP MP, expressed that the allegations of "saffron terrorism" have been proven false. Overcome with emotion in court after the verdict, Thakur recalled the years of alleged torture she endured during the investigation, stating that it had ruined her life. She claimed she was called for investigation, arrested, and tortured without any reason despite cooperating.
The court's decision, delivered by Special Judge A.K. Lahoti, highlighted the prosecution's failure to provide cogent evidence, extending the benefit of the doubt to all accused. The court also pointed out discrepancies in the medical records, noting that the number of injured persons was 95, not 101 as originally claimed, and suggested manipulation. Additionally, the court observed that the blast site was not properly barricaded, leading to contamination of the crime scene. It was also noted that the chassis number of the motorcycle allegedly used in the blast was wiped out, and there was no reliable evidence to prove Thakur owned the vehicle. The judge added that terrorism has no religion, as no religion can advocate violence.
The 2008 Malegaon blast, which occurred on September 29, 2008, in Malegaon, Nashik district, resulted in six fatalities and injuries to over 100 people. An explosive device, allegedly attached to a motorcycle, detonated near a mosque during the holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of Navratri. Thakur and the other accused were acquitted of charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including committing a terrorist act, conspiracy, murder, and promoting enmity between religious groups.
Other acquitted individuals include Lt Col Prasad Purohit, Major Ramesh Upadhyay (Retd), Ajay Rahirkar, Sameer Kulkarni, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, and Sudhakar Dhar Dwivedi. The ATS had alleged that the motorcycle used in the blast belonged to Thakur, while Purohit was accused of bringing the RDX from Jammu and Kashmir. Both denied the allegations, and the court found no evidence to support the claims against Purohit, stating there was no proof he stored RDX at his residence, transported it from Kashmir, or assembled the bomb at his house.
The acquittal has sparked strong political reactions, with some leaders questioning the prosecution's handling of the case and others accusing previous governments of politicizing the investigation. JD(U) MP Devesh Chandra Thakur welcomed the court's clarity, while Uttar Pradesh Minister Narendra Kashyap accused previous governments of targeting Hindu organizations and sants, branding it as "bhagwa atankwad" to defame Hindus. Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari questioned the quality of the prosecution. BJP MP Jagannath Sarkar alleged a conspiracy by the Congress party, accusing them of acting against Hindus and the interests of India.
