Who Are The Key Figures In The 2008 Malegaon Blast Case?
The 2008 Malegaon blast case verdict is expected on Wednesday, nearly 16 years after a bomb went off near a mosque in the textile town of Malegaon in Maharashtra, killing six people and injuring over 100. The verdict will be delivered by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai, according to a report by PTI.
Seven accused faced trial in the case, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit. The other five are Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Sudhakar Chaturvedi and Sameer Kulkarni. All were charged under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code.
The blast took place on September 29, 2008, when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon during the holy month of Ramzan. The town, around 200 km from Mumbai, has a sizable Muslim population and has witnessed communal tensions in the past.
Who Are the Accused?
Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit: An Army officer at the time of the blast, Purohit was accused of supplying explosives and playing a central role in planning the attack. He was arrested in 2008 and spent nearly nine years in jail before being granted bail in 2017. He claims he was working undercover and had kept his superiors informed.
Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur: Former BJP MP from Bhopal, Thakur was accused of providing the motorcycle used in the blast. Initially arrested in 2008, she was granted bail on health grounds in 2017. The NIA later dropped charges under MCOCA against her but pursued others under the UAPA.
Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay: A former Army officer, Upadhyay was allegedly part of Abhinav Bharat, a right-wing group, investigators linked to the blast. He is accused of participating in planning meetings and helping execute the plot.
Sudhakar Dwivedi (Dayanand Pandey): A self-styled religious leader, Dwivedi was accused of being an ideological guide for the conspiracy. Prosecutors claimed he provided intellectual backing and helped coordinate the group.
Ajay Rahirkar: He was the treasurer of Abhinav Bharat. Rahirkar allegedly helped fund the activities of the group and was charged with financing the blast conspiracy.
Sudhakar Chaturvedi: Allegedly close to Purohit, Chaturvedi was accused of helping store explosives and taking part in planning meetings.
Sameer Kulkarni: Also linked to Abhinav Bharat, Kulkarni was accused of participating in meetings that led to the planning of the blast. He was granted bail in 2017.
What Did The NIA Say
The case was first investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), before being handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2011. The trial formally began in 2018, and after the conclusion of arguments in April 2025, the court reserved its judgment.
The NIA, in its final submission, said the accused conspired to carry out the explosion to create communal disharmony and destabilise internal security. It argued that the evidence presented in court was 'relevant, admissible, cogent, trustworthy, wholly reliable and proved," forming a clear chain of events leading to the blast.
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July 30, 2025, 23:46 IST
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