
No one is guilty in Malegaon case
Several questions arise at this point. One, why do investigators fail to establish guilt in courts, even in the most gruesome terror incidents? In the Malegaon case, the judge found procedural gaps, poor evidence gathering and recording (the spot panchnama, or record of events, was faulty, for instance), unreliable evidence and hostile witnesses. Two, why does the investigation and judicial process stretch this long? It has been 17 years since the Malegaon blasts, and closure seems a distant possiblity. Justice has eluded the victims, and years after the incident, the nation does not know who perpetrated these acts of terror. Time-bound probes and faster trials are necessary not just to ensure timely justice but also to reduce the pain of waiting for closure. Delays also expose cases to allegations of interference and manipulation of evidence and witnesses. A review of similar cases from the same period may be instructive: the 2006 Malegaon blasts which killed 37 persons; the 2007 Samjhauta Express blasts that killed 68; the Mecca Masjid blasts (2007) that claimed nine lives; and the Ajmer Dargah Sharif blasts (2007) in which three persons died. The investigators failed to secure convictions in these cases, which became politically sensitive as they came to be clubbed under the umbrella term 'saffron terror': The first accused in the Malegaon case was Pragya Singh Thakur, a saffron-clad political activist, who was elected to Parliament in 2019 on a BJP ticket, and other accused involved a serving Army officer, Lt Colonel Shrikant Purohit. Strangely, NIA did not appeal against the acquittals in these cases.
The guilty in terror cases have to be found, their guilt established and punished. It is also important that accountability is fixed on investigators who fail to follow due process. Committed officers, good forensics, adherence to procedures, and insulation from political pressure — not coercive confessions — can ensure convictions, justice and closure in terror cases.

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Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Citing Malegaon blast case verdict, Yogi accuses opposition of ‘shielding terrorists'
1 2 Lucknow: Accusing opposition parties of "implicating innocent Hindus" while shielding actual terrorists in reference to the recent clean chit to the accused of the Malegaon Blast, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday alleged that Congress and Samajwadi Party repeatedly conspired against nationalists and were, in the Malegaon case, questioning the credibility of the country's constitutional institutions. "Will Congress ever apologise to the nation for its misdeeds?" the CM asked while addressing a public meeting in Meerut. He further said that the politics of Congress and SP was long centred on casteism, communal riots, and appeasement of mafia. Calling their approach to terrorism "soft", the CM demanded a public apology from Congress, stating that its politics rooted in casteism, riots, and mafia appeasement deeply harmed the nation. The CM was in Meerut to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for development projects and participated in the bhoomi pujan of a Rs 2,517 crore Integrated Township project, spread across 295 hectares. The CM also provided financial assistance to young entrepreneurs, self-help groups, and housing scheme beneficiaries. Dedicating the township project to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the CM announced that its name would be 'Atal Shatabdi'. Located near the Rapid Rail corridor, this project aims to offer affordable and sustainable housing to residents of the National Capital Region. "The township will reshape Meerut's urban landscape with integrated residential, industrial, and commercial facilities, along with schools, technical institutes, and medical colleges. The project is expected to generate employment for lakhs and establish Meerut as a new hub of development," he said. Elaborating on the development in Meerut in recent years, the CM said that earlier known for its 'Chor Bazar' areas like Sotiganj, it was now gaining international recognition for its sports goods industry, thanks to initiatives like Rapid Rail, the 12-lane expressway, and the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme. The country's first sports university, named after Major Dhyan Chand, is coming up in Meerut, he said, while the country's longest expressway connecting Meerut to Prayagraj will be completed by the end of the year, reducing travel time to Lucknow to just six hours. He also announced the commencement of survey work for the Meerut–Haridwar expressway and the integration of divisional offices under one roof as key developmental initiatives and announced new development projects as well, including the reconstruction of the Inner Ring Road and a new Circuit House. He urged people to purchase indigenous products over foreign goods to stop national wealth "from flowing into anti-national activities". The CM also announced that on the occasion of Rakshabandhan, women would be able to travel for free in state transport buses from Aug 8 to 10. He credited the govt's zero-tolerance policy for ridding Meerut of riots and crime and putting it on the path of development. "Eight years ago, Meerut was burning in the flames of communal violence. Today, it is surging ahead with infrastructure like the Rapid Rail and Expressways," he said. During the event, the Chief Minister distributed loans amounting to Rs 29 crore to 675 entrepreneurs under the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyam Vikas Abhiyan. Financial assistance of Rs 64 crore was also extended to 881 self-help groups. Keys to homes were handed over to beneficiaries of the Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana, and farmers excelling in their field were honoured with citation certificates.


Time of India
9 hours ago
- Time of India
Yadav hails Pragya verdict, says Cong ‘drama has been exposed'
Bhopal: Speaking about the court verdict in the 2008 Malegaon blast case , in which seven accused, including former BJP MP from Bhopal Pragya Singh Thakur, were acquitted, chief minister Mohan Yadav said on Monday that the "conspiracies" of the Congress have failed. "The Congress drama of 'saffron terrorism' has been exposed. The court has proved that a Hindu can never be a terrorist," he said. He said that leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi must act responsibly according to the mandate of the constitution for the LOP in Lok Sabha. He was talking to mediapersons on the state assembly premises here on Monday. On excessive rains in some parts of the state and loss of life, property and crops, Yadav said that he was going for a survey of worst affected areas.


India.com
12 hours ago
- India.com
Malegaon Blast: Maharashtra Must Challenge Acquittal Verdict, Says Congress MLA Arif Masood
New Delhi: Congress MLA from Madhya Pradesh, Arif Masood, urged the Maharashtra government to file an appeal against the acquittal of all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit. Masood emphasized that terrorism has no religion and should not be associated with any faith. He cited the state government's recent decision to challenge the Bombay High Court's acquittal of 12 accused in the 7/11 Mumbai train blasts case, stating that similar action should be taken in the Malegaon case. "Terrorism has no religion, nor is it related to any Maharashtra government, which has announced that it would file an appeal against the acquittal of the 12 accused in the 7/11 Mumbai train blasts case by the Bombay High Court, should do the same thing in the Malegaon case too," said Arif Masood. Meanwhile, families of the Malegaon blast victims have expressed their intent to challenge the verdict of the special NIA court, which acquitted all the accused on July 31. Their lawyer, Shahid Nadeem, confirmed that some of the families will independently file appeals. He also criticized the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for not taking action against witnesses who turned hostile during the trial. The Maharashtra government had earlier approached the Supreme Court to challenge the Bombay High Court's acquittal in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case. In the Malegaon investigation, after the NIA took over from the ATS, it dropped charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), citing issues with how the provisions were applied. The 2008 Malegaon blast occurred on September 29 in the Nashik district, killing six people and injuring over 100. In its judgment, the special court not only acquitted all seven accused but also directed the government to pay compensation, Rs 2 lakh to the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 to the injured. The court found insufficient evidence to prove that Pragya Thakur owned the motorcycle allegedly used in the blast, noting that its chassis number had been erased. It also observed that Thakur had renounced worldly possessions two years before the incident.