New Delhi, Aug 1 (IANS) The acquittal of all seven accused in the case related to the 2008 Malegaon blast, has triggered strong political reactions across party lines, with leaders questioning the prosecution, defending the verdict, and accusing previous governments of politicising the investigation.

The special NIA court in Mumbai on Thursday acquitted all seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt. Col. Prasad Shrikant Purohit in the blast case, in which 6 people were killed and over 100 injured, citing lack of evidence and inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case.

“Upon comprehensive evaluation, the prosecution has failed to bring any cogent evidence, and the evidence is riddled with inconsistencies. Therefore, the Court has to extend the benefit of doubt to all accused,” Special Judge A.K. Lahoti said while delivering the judgment.

Reacting to the verdict, JD(U) MP Devesh Chandra Thakur welcomed the court’s clarity, stating: “What can anyone comment on a court’s verdict? The judgment must be accepted as it is. And now, the matter has become absolutely clear, it’s not a decision made in haste. This case is old, and so many people were harassed, those who were accused, including members of the armed forces, and even Sadhvi Pragya, who was very young. All of it is now crystal clear.”

Uttar Pradesh Minister Narendra Kashyap took a more political line, accusing previous governments of bias.

“There were already apprehensions about this, and the BJP had raised this issue on several platforms. In the Malegaon blast case, instead of taking action against the actual accused, the then governments targeted Hindu organisations and sants, branding it as ‘bhagwa aatankwad’ in an attempt to defame Hindus and Sanatan Dharma followers,” he claimed.

Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari, while not commenting on the acquittals, questioned the quality of prosecution: “It is absolutely clear that the prosecution failed to prove its case before the court. Now the question arises — who was handling the prosecution and who was responsible for managing it?”

BJP MP Jagannath Sarkar alleged a broader conspiracy: “This is a major conspiracy by the Congress. The party has always stood against the nation because this is a Hindu-majority country… They have consistently acted against Hindus and against the interests of India. Hence they brought out ‘bhagwa atankwad’, but failed.”

The Malegaon blast on September 29, 2008, killed six people and injured over 100. The case, which shifted between the Maharashtra ATS and later the NIA, has seen intense political debate, especially over the term “saffron terror” that emerged during early investigations.

The court’s verdict, nearly 17 years after the incident, has not only closed a legal chapter but also reopened political divides around the sensitive case.

–IANS

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