Who Are the Key People in the 2008 Malegaon Blast Case?
The verdict in the 2008 Malegaon blast case is anticipated on Thursday, nearly 16 years after the incident. A total of seven individuals, including BJP MP Pragya Thakur, were put on trial.
The judgment in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case is expected to be pronounced on Wednesday, close to 16 years after a bomb exploded near a mosque in the textile town of Malegaon in Maharashtra, claiming six lives and injuring over 100. The verdict will be announced by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai, according to PTI reports.
Seven individuals stood trial in the case, among them former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit. The remaining five are Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, and Sameer Kulkarni. They were charged under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The explosion occurred on 29 September 2008, when a bomb attached to a motorcycle went off near a mosque during the month of Ramzan in Malegaon. The town, located around 200 km from Mumbai, has a significant Muslim population and has previously witnessed communal unrest.
Who Are the Accused?
Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit: Serving in the Indian Army at the time of the blast, Purohit was accused of supplying explosives and playing a pivotal role in organising the attack. He was taken into custody in 2008 and spent almost nine years behind bars before securing bail in 2017. He maintains that he was working undercover and had kept his seniors informed throughout.
Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur: A former BJP MP from Bhopal, Pragya was accused of having supplied the motorcycle used in the explosion. She was arrested in 2008 and later granted bail on health grounds in 2017. While the NIA dropped charges against her under MCOCA, she continued to face charges under the UAPA.
Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay: A retired Army officer, Upadhyay was allegedly a member of Abhinav Bharat, a right-wing outfit linked to the incident. He was accused of participating in conspiracy meetings and assisting in the execution of the plan.
Sudhakar Dwivedi (also known as Dayanand Pandey): A self-proclaimed religious figure, Dwivedi was accused of playing the role of an ideological mentor in the conspiracy. The prosecution alleged that he provided intellectual support and helped coordinate the operations.
Ajay Rahirkar: Serving as the treasurer of Abhinav Bharat, Rahirkar was accused of financing the group’s operations and aiding the planning of the blast.
Sudhakar Chaturvedi: Reportedly close to Purohit, Chaturvedi was accused of storing the explosives and attending conspiracy meetings.
Sameer Kulkarni: Also associated with Abhinav Bharat, Kulkarni was charged with taking part in the meetings that led to the planning of the bombing. He was granted bail in 2017.
What the NIA Stated
The case was initially handled by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) but was later transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2011. The trial officially commenced in 2018. Following the conclusion of the final arguments in April 2025, the court reserved its judgment.
In its concluding submission, the NIA claimed that the accused had plotted the explosion with the intent to spread communal unrest and disturb national security. It argued that the evidence presented was “relevant, admissible, coherent, credible, fully reliable and proven,” forming a continuous sequence of events that culminated in the blast.
