The victim families of Malegaon Blast Case 2008 have moved the Bombay High Court against the Special Court verdict on Tuesday (9 September). On 31 July 2025, the Special Court acquitted BJP leader Pragya Thakur, Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit and five others. The victim families have now approached the High Court against this decision. Nisar Ahem Syed Bilal and five others filed an appeal through advocate Matin Sheikh and have appealed to the High Court to cancel the decision of the Special Court.

Special NIA Court verdict wrong- petitioner

On 29 September 2008, a motorcycle exploded near a mosque in Malegaon. Six people were killed and 101 people were injured in this accident. The petitioners said that the Special NIA court’s decision to acquit the seven accused is wrong, so it should be canceled.

What did the Special Court say in the verdict?

The special court had said in its judgment that only suspicion cannot replace the real evidence and there is no concrete or reliable evidence for conviction. It was said in the judgment that there is no reliable and concrete evidence against the accused, so that the case can be proved beyond doubt. Apart from Pragya Thakur and Colonel Purohit, Major Ramesh Upadhyay (retired), Ajay Raheerkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Sudhakar Chaturvedi and Sameer Kulkarni were ruled by the court.

I had to face torture- Pragya Thakur

Pragya Thakur, who was among the accused, had claimed that she was forced to take the names of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on behalf of the investigating agencies. Sadhvi Pragya said in a statement, yes, I was forced. I did not come under pressure and I did not name anyone, no one was falsely implicated. Therefore, I was very tortured. Had to face humiliation and torture for 17 years.

In the 2008 bomb blast case in Malegaon, Maharashtra, the NIA special court has given a big verdict after 17 years. The court has acquitted 7 people including accused Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit in this case.

The court has also ordered two lakhs to the families of the deceased victims of Malegaon blast. He has been asked to give 50 thousand rupees to the people.

The blast took place on the holy month of Ramadan and just before Navratri on 29 September 2008, in which 6 people were killed and more than 100 people were injured. The court reserved its verdict on 19 April after the prosecution and the defense hearing and the final arguments. Due to evidence and documents of more than one lakh pages, so much time was taken by the court to pronounce the verdict.

2008 Malegaon blast case

The initial investigation of the matter is conducted by Maharashtra ATS, but in 2011 the responsibility of investigation is entrusted to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). After nearly 5 years of investigation, the NIA files a charge sheet in 2016, in which some accused are given relief on the basis of insufficient evidence. Following long hearing and statements of several witnesses, the court fulfills the final arguments on 19 April 2025 and reserves the verdict. Finally today, on 31 July 2025, the special NIA court gives a verdict in this much talked -about case and declares the culprits in which Pragya Thakur is convicted.