2008 Malegaon Blast Case: Maharashtra Govt Yet To Decide On Challenging Acquittal Of All 7 Accused

Mumbai: The Maharashtra state government is yet to take a decision on whether to challenge the verdict of acquittal of all the accused in 2008 Malegaon blast case, revealed in a reply given by the Law and Judiciary department under Right to Information Act.

The special NIA court had on July 31, acquitted all the seven accused including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit for want of evidence. On the very next day, an RTI activist Ajay Bose had approached the Law and Judiciary department, seeking an information on state government’s stand on the verdict.

Bose had asked if the state government has been planning to challenge the verdict either in high court or in supreme court. The Law and judiciary department replied to his question on Tuesday, saying, “No proposal has been received yet by the branch regarding filing of an appeal before the high court or supreme court from the concern officer of the public prosecutor.”

The special court which gave verdict on July 31, has raised several questions on the prove carried out of the Maharashtra ATS and conduct of its officers. The court has in fact recommended to carry out inquiry against the ATS officers. Besides, the court has explicitly accepted the contentions of the defense that the evidence was planted and that the witnesses were coerced to give statements in a particular way.

On September 29, 2008, a bomb planted on a motorcycle - LML Freedom, which was parked near Shakil Goods Transport Company, between Anjuman Chowk and Bhiku Chowk, went off at 21.35 hours, in Malegaon, killing six persons and injuring around hundreds. 

The case was though registered with the local police station, but the probe was taken over by Maharashtra ATS. Though the ATS had filed the chargesheet, the case was transferred to central agency – NIA in 2011, which registered the fresh case and began the probe.

NIA did rely on ATS theory of involvement of ‘Hindu organization’ behind the blast but questioned some of the evidence cited by the ATS against the accused.