A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai is scheduled to deliver its verdict today, Thursday, July 31, 2025, in the nearly 17-year-old Malegaon blast case. The incident occurred on September 29, 2008, when an improvised explosive device attached to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in a Muslim-majority area of Malegaon, Maharashtra, killing six people and injuring over 100.
Seven individuals stand trial, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and serving Lt. Colonel Prasad Purohit, along with Major (retd) Ramesh Upadhyay, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Sudhakar Dwivedi (aka Swami Amrutanand Devtirth), and Sameer Kulkarni. Charges include offences under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code, covering criminal conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, hurting, and promoting enmity between religious groups.
The case, initiated by the Maharashtra ATS and later transferred to the NIA in 2011, underwent years of investigation. The hearing concluded in April 2025, after which the case was reserved for judgment. The prosecution examined 323 witnesses, with 37–39 turning hostile. The NIA has requested the court to impose commensurate punishment, including potentially the death penalty.
On the defence side, Thakur has maintained her implication was “illegal, bad in law,” with ulterior motives, while Purohit contends there is “no material evidence” against him, asserting the case is based on coerced witness statements and political bias. Several accused allege investigation flaws, forced confessions, and procedural irregularities during ATS interrogation.
This verdict is closely watched across India as it marks the culmination of one of the country’s most high-profile and politically sensitive cases. The outcome may significantly influence public trust in the judicial process and signal how complex communal violence cases are adjudicated.
