Mumbai: Seventeen years after a deadly explosion in Malegaon, a special court in Mumbai has acquitted all seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit.

Speaking to reporters after the NIA court acquitted him, Lt Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit said, "I am extremely grateful to all of you, to the country, and to everyone who stood by me, or by us. I am thankful to the judiciary for understanding the case and delivering justice to all of us. Throughout this fight, my friends, colleagues, and especially the armed forces, my Army, stood by me. I have no words to express my gratitude to them. We are a great country, and I hope and wish that everyone contributes positively towards it. Malice are over... should not be there, let's be forward looking. We are developing nation."

Those acquitted include Pragya Singh Thakur, Lt Col Prasad Purohit, Major Ramesh Upadhyay (Retired), Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, and Sameer Kulkarni. Following the verdict, the seven appeared visibly relieved and were seen thanking both the judge and their legal teams.

Court finds insufficient evidence

The court ruled on Thursday that there was "no reliable and cogent evidence" linking the accused to the blast. It stated that terrorism has no religion, and emphasised that convictions cannot be based on perception or suspicion alone.

What was the Malegaon blast?

On 29 September 2008, an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon, a town approximately 200 kilometres from Mumbai. The blast claimed six lives and injured over 100 people.

Prosecution’s claims unsubstantiated

The prosecution alleged that the motorcycle used in the explosion was registered in the name of Pragya Singh Thakur. However, the court observed that this could not be proven. Although it was established that a blast occurred, investigators failed to demonstrate that the explosive was indeed planted on the motorbike.