Relatives of the dead and injured in the blast in Muslim-majority area of the city in Maharashtra, protested at the Additional Collector Office against the acquittal of all the accused and the ensuing celebrations
MALEGAON – Peeved at “denial of justice” after an arduous 17-year wait, victims of the 2008 Malegaon blast on Monday demanded strict action against Hindutva groups celebrating the acquittal of former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and other accused.
Relatives of the dead and injured in the blast in the Muslim-majority area of the city in Maharashtra, protested at the Additional Collector Office against the acquittal of all the accused and the ensuing celebrations. They were led by the Minority Defence Committee (MDF), a collective of organisations fighting for the rights of the minorities.
The victims carried placards and banners demanding the state government to challenge the NIA Special Court order acquitting the accused, a Ummid.com report said on Tuesday.
A powerful bomb, as per the ATS charge sheet, fitted in a motorcycle, exploded near a mosque at Bhikku Chowk in Malegaon on September 29, 2008. Six Muslim worshippers were killed and more than 100 others injured in the terrorist attack executed in the holy month of Ramadan and two days before Eid al-Fitr.
The motorcycle fitted with the bomb was parked a few meters away from the ladies market at a junction thronged by hundreds of people.
The deadly terror attack was first investigated by Maharashtra ATS led by Hemant Karkare. Karkare was assassinated during the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack. Before his tragic death, in his painstaking investigation Karkare unearthed the involvement of Hindus in the bomb blast.
The ATS in its charge sheet said investigating agencies traced the motorcycle to Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur in whose name it was registered. Further investigation in the case led to the arrest of Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit, a serving army officer, and others.
Two years after the BJP came to power in 2014, the investigation was handed over to the NIA. In the meantime, Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian, who was looking after the case, publicly accused that she was asked to “go soft” on the accused.
On July 31, 2025 the Special NIA Court acquitted all the seven accused. The court in its judgment said there is a “strong suspicion of the involvement of the accused” but “mere suspicion cannot lead to conviction”.
In over 1,000-page judgment, Justice AK Lahoti of the NIA Court in Mumbai said the prosecution could not produce sufficient evidence to prove the charges against the accused and acquitted them “extending them benefit of doubt”.
The verdict shocked the people of Malegaon, especially the victims who waited 17 long years for justice. Yet the city remained calm and peaceful without a single untoward incident reported from anywhere. However, some people associated with the right-wing Hindutva groups distributed sweets and celebrated the acquittal.
“This is akin to rubbing salt on our wounds”, Asif Shaikh, MDF Convener, was quoted as saying.
He also cited the 2006 Mumbai blast verdict pronounced on July 21 – barely 10 days before the Malegaon blast verdict.
“All accused acquitted in the Mumbai train blast case were Muslims. The Bombay High Court pronounced them all innocent. But, not a single Muslim – in Malegaon or any other part of country, celebrated the verdict”, he added.
“On the other hand, the Hindu accused (in Malegaon blast case) have not been pronounced innocent, and the court acquitted them extending benefit of doubts. Yet, these people are celebrating the judgment”, he said.
Asif Shaikh also said the celebration of the verdict was a blot on the country, and a move aimed at disrupting communal harmony and provoke violence. He wondered how these people got police permission.
Mustaqeem Dignity, the co-founder of the MDF, speaking to media after submitting the memorandum to the Additional Collector, demanded from the government to challenge the NIA court order before August 14.
“The MDF will be forced to take action if the government fails to challenge the verdict by Aug. 14”, he said adding the MDF action will be democratic and peaceful.
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Cover photo courtesy Ummid.com: The victims of 2008 Malegaon blast protesting at Additional Collector Office Malegaon Monday August 04, 2025. Also seen are former MLA Asif Shaikh, Mustaqem Dignity and others.
