July 31, 2025 - A Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court in Mumbai today, July 31, acquitted all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case - including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit.

Special Judge AK Lahoti ruled that the prosecution’s case rested solely on suspicion, lacking “cogent or reliable evidence” to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The judgement said that the prosecution had failed to prove the case and the accused “deserved the benefit of doubt”.

The verdict has come nearly 17 years after seven people were arrested for alleged involvement in the Malegaon blast incident of September 29, 2008, in which six people lost their lives and more than 100 were injured. The blast had occurred after an explosive device, allegedly fixed on a motorcycle, detonated near a mosque. It was during the holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of Navratri.

Terror and murder charges were formally framed on the arrested persons on October 30, 2018.

The Court said it found no proof linking Pragya Thakur to the motorcycle used in the blast, as its chassis number was found to be wiped out and no credible ownership could be established. It also said there was no evidence to proved that Purohit had procured or assembled the RDX.

The other accused who have also been acquitted are Major Ramesh Upadhyay (Retd), Ajay Rahirkar, Sameer Kulkarni, Sudhakar Chaturvedi and Sudhakar Dhar Dwivedi.

With Media Inputs