Families Fight Back Against Acquittal in 2008 Malegaon Blast Case
In a bold move, six family members of victims from the tragic 2008 Malegaon blast have approached the Bombay High Court. They want the court to overturn the recent acquittal of all seven accused in the case. Their lawyer revealed this on Tuesday, calling the Special NIA court’s decision "wrong and bad in law."
The appeal, filed on Monday by Nisar Ahmed Sayyed Bilal and five others through advocate Mateen Shaikh, targets the July 31 judgment by Special NIA Judge A.K. Lahoti. It demands action against former MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and the other accused, including Lt. Col. Shrikant Purohit, Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, and Sameer Kulkarni. The families urge the High Court to scrap the entire verdict.
Remember the heartbreaking Malegaon blast? On September 29, 2008, a bomb hidden on a motorcycle exploded near a mosque in the communally sensitive town of Malegaon, Maharashtra. This happened during the holy month of Ramzan, killing six people and injuring over 100. The Special NIA court dismissed the prosecution’s "Saffron terror" or "Hindu terror" theory and gave the accused the benefit of the doubt, leading to their full acquittal.
Right after her release, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur spoke out. She claimed police tortured her for refusing to give false statements during the investigation. Pragya accused senior officials of custodial torture, coercion, and targeting her for political reasons. Her words have stirred up a lot of debate around the Malegaon blast investigation.
This family appeal hits at a crucial time. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is still reviewing the acquittal order to decide if they should challenge it too. Last month, an NIA spokesperson said the agency is carefully studying the judgment but hasn’t decided yet on filing an appeal against the Malegaon blast case verdict.
Another NIA official shared more details. They explained that after a court ruling, the case goes to the Chief Investigating Officer (CIO). Then, they seek legal advice at the branch level to figure out the next steps. The official added that teams usually aim to decide on a review petition within 30 days, but they can extend the time to file an appeal up to 90 days.
As the fight over the 2008 Malegaon blast case continues, many wonder what the Bombay High Court will do. Will justice finally reach the victims’ families? Stay tuned for updates on this high-profile terror case.
