The Special NIA Court in Mumbai is set to deliver its verdict today in the high-profile 2008 Malegaon blast case, nearly 17 years after the incident that claimed six lives and injured over 100. Ahead of the ruling, the accused have reiterated their innocence, calling the case “fabricated” and politically motivated.
One of the accused, Retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, told ANI that the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had intimidated witnesses and manipulated the investigation. “All the accused will be acquitted because the entire case is false. By intimidating witnesses, the ATS created this story. The NIA’s investigation showed that their officer had planted RDX,” Upadhyay claimed. “As an Army officer, I have no motive to commit any crime against my country.”
The case, initially investigated by the Maharashtra ATS, was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2011. All seven accused currently face trial and are out on bail. The NIA court, presided over by Judge AK Lahoti, had reserved its verdict on April 19 and is set to pronounce the judgment today.
Among the accused is former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur. Her lawyer, JP Mishra, alleged that evidence was planted under political pressure. “On the then government’s orders, the ATS fabricated a case when they found no credible evidence. The aim was to push a narrative of ‘saffron terror’,” Mishra said.
Sameer Kulkarni, another accused, said the judgment day marks a long-awaited moment. “We’ve been waiting for this day for years. From day one, the UPA government and the agencies knew we were innocent. Now the truth will come out,” he said, expressing confidence in being vindicated.
The Malegaon blast occurred on September 29, 2008, when a bomb strapped to a motorcycle exploded near a mosque in the town’s Bhikku Chowk area. Eleven individuals were originally named in the case, but charges were ultimately framed against seven.
The final judgment in the case is expected to bring closure to a legal battle that has stretched across nearly two decades and witnessed intense political and legal scrutiny.