Malegaon Bomb Blast Case: Verdict to Be Pronounced on July 31

The verdict in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case in Maharashtra will be pronounced on Thursday, July 31. Special NIA court judge A.K. Lahoti will deliver the judgment.

The extraordinary efforts of the victims in this case are noteworthy. They consistently pursued justice, ensuring that the accused faced court proceedings. The victims not only attended every hearing but also submitted written arguments following the witness testimonies and demanded strict punishment for the accused.

They opposed all petitions seeking bail, discharge, and even closed-door hearings, and continued their fight all the way to the Supreme Court and High Court. As a result of their persistence, the Supreme Court directed the Maharashtra government to establish a special court for the case.

Senior advocate B.A. Desai volunteered his services on behalf of the Legal Aid Committee of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind Maharashtra (Arshad Madani). Alongside him, advocates Sharif Sheikh, Abdul Wahab Khan, Shahid Nadeem, and Ansar Tamboli, among others, represented the victims in court.

In 2016, despite the NIA’s request to discharge Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from the case, the court rejected the plea based on objections raised by the victims.

Throughout the trial, the victims challenged the UAPA law, objected to Sadhvi Pragya’s participation in elections, and opposed closed-door proceedings—continuing their legal resistance at every stage.

On September 29, 2008, a bomb exploded at Bhakko Chowk during Isha prayers in Ramadan, resulting in the deaths of 6 people and injuries to 101 others. On September 30, the Azadnagar police registered an FIR. The investigation was later handed over to the ATS, which arrested 12 accused including:

• Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur
• Colonel Purohit
• Major Upadhyay
• Sameer Kulkarni
• Ajay Rahekar
• Sudhakar Dhar Dwivedi
• Onkar Chaturvedi
• Rakesh Dhaode
• Jagdish Mahatre
• Shiv Narayan Kalsangra
• Shyam Shahu
• Praveen Takli