After being acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case by a special NIA court, BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur launched a scathing attack on the Congress and those who labeled the incident as “saffron terror,” calling the verdict a vindication of truth.
“Those who spoke of ‘Bhagwa aatankwaad’ (saffron terrorism) are left black-faced today,” said Sadhvi Pragya, addressing the media on Sunday. “This judgment is a slap in the face of those who vilified Hindu society and Dharma. The court’s decision has proven that truth always prevails. Satyameva Jayate!”
She directly targeted the Congress, accusing party leaders like former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan of peddling terms such as “Sanatana terrorism” and “Hindutva terror.” “They are all of the same mindset. But society and the country have responded with clarity through the court’s decision,” she said.
Sadhvi Pragya also alleged that she was subjected to severe torture during the investigation by the Maharashtra ATS. “I was forced to name leaders like PM Modi, Yogi Adityanath, Mohan Bhagwat, and others. I refused, and they tortured me for it,” she claimed, further accusing former IPS officer Parambir Singh of violating laws during the probe.
She went on to allege that many detainees during the investigation were tortured to death and their records erased, blaming the then UPA government for misusing investigative agencies and spreading fear.
The NIA Special Court in Mumbai acquitted all seven accused, including Sadhvi Pragya, Major (Retd.) Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dhar Dwivedi (Shankaracharya), and Sameer Kulkarni. The court cited failure of the prosecution to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt and ordered all bail bonds to be canceled.
The court also directed the Maharashtra government to compensate the families of the deceased with ₹2 lakh each and the injured with ₹50,000 each.
The Malegaon blast on September 29, 2008, killed six people and injured 95 when a bomb tied to a motorcycle exploded near Bhikku Chowk, adjacent to a mosque in Malegaon city. Initially, 11 people were accused, but charges were ultimately framed against seven.
The court’s verdict came after examining 323 prosecution and eight defense witnesses.
