Malegaon Blast Verdict Expected Today After 17-Year Investigation
- Posted on July 31, 2025
- Trending News
- By Arijit Dutta
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A Mumbai court will announce its verdict today in the 2008 Malegaon blast case after a 17-year trial. Six were killed in the attack. Accused include Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Purohit. The case has seen shifting narratives between ATS and NIA, making it one of India's longest terror probes.
A special NIA court in Mumbai is set to deliver its verdict today in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, concluding a 17-year-long investigation and trial involving high-profile accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and army officer Lt Col Prasad Purohit.
The blast occurred on 29 September 2008 at Bhikku Chowk in Malegaon, Maharashtra, during the holy month of Ramadan. A motorcycle fitted with an IED exploded, killing six people and injuring 101. Investigators believed the attack was timed to incite communal tension ahead of Navratri.
The Maharashtra ATS initially led the investigation and arrested 11 accused, alleging links to a group called Abhinav Bharat. Among them were Thakur, whose motorcycle was allegedly used in the blast, and Purohit, who was accused of aiding the conspiracy. The ATS invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), claiming the act was revenge against Muslim-led terrorism.
In 2011, the case was handed over to the NIA. In 2016, the agency filed a supplementary chargesheet and dropped MCOCA charges, calling their earlier use “questionable.” The NIA argued that only seven of the original 11 accused had sufficient evidence against them and recommended dropping Thakur's name, citing lack of direct involvement. However, the court rejected this and included her in the trial under the UAPA and IPC.
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The trial began in 2018 and concluded in April 2025. Charges included terrorism, conspiracy, murder, and promoting religious enmity. The prosecution claimed the blast was a deliberate attempt to terrorise the Muslim community and disrupt public peace.
As the nation awaits the verdict, the Malegaon case remains one of India’s most controversial and politically sensitive terror trials in recent history.
