Malegaon Blast: All Accused Acquitted After 17 Years

Seventeen years after the Malegaon blast, which killed six people, all seven accused, including Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, were acquitted due to lack of reliable evidence. The court concluded that terrorism has no religion and emphasized the importance of concrete evidence over mere suspicion.

After 17 years, a special court acquitted all seven accused in the Malegaon blast case, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, citing insufficient evidence for conviction. The blast, which took place near a mosque in 2008, claimed six lives and injured 101 people.

The court underscored that terrorism has no religion and stressed the necessity for credible evidence over assumptions. Special Judge A K Lahoti pointed out significant flaws in the prosecution's case and questioned the applicability of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in this case.

The verdict highlighted doubts surrounding the prosecution's claims, including the allegation that the motorbike used in the blast was registered in Thakur's name. The accused, initially linked to the right-wing 'Abhinav Bharat' group, were relieved with the judgment as they had been facing charges under UAPA and other IPC sections.

(With inputs from agencies.)