Malegaon Blast Case: Sadhvi Pragya Declares ‘Hindutva Has Won’ After Acquittal

As a special court acquitted all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, one of the accused, declared, "Today, saffron has won, Hindutva has won. The allegation of saffron terrorism has been proven false."

Visibly emotional, Thakur addressed Judge A.K. Lahoti, recalling her “long years of struggle and humiliation.” She stated that she had been wrongly branded and forced to repeatedly fight to clear her name.

“She endured years of humiliation and constant struggle. She was labelled tainted despite not being guilty,” reports quoted courtroom observers as saying.

Thakur also issued a warning: “God will punish those who insulted ‘bhagwa’ (saffron),” she said.

Colonel Shrikant Purohit, another accused who was acquitted, also responded emotionally to the verdict.

“I am a soldier who loves this country unconditionally,” he told the court, adding: “I am a victim of mentally unstable individuals. The nation is supreme, and its foundation must be strong. Some people misused our powers, and we had to bear the consequences. Jai Hind.”

What Is the 2008 Malegaon Blast Case?

On September 29, 2008, a bomb attached to a motorcycle exploded near Bhikku Chowk in Malegaon, Maharashtra, killing six people and injuring over 100. The blast occurred in a Muslim-majority area during Ramadan.

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) initially arrested Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit, and others. The motorcycle used in the bombing was allegedly linked to Thakur.

According to the ATS—and later the National Investigation Agency (NIA)—the blast was part of a larger conspiracy to incite communal violence and destabilize internal security. It was allegedly orchestrated by members of Abhinav Bharat, a right-wing extremist group with ideological ties to Hindutva, purportedly founded by Purohit.

The ATS conducted the initial probe before handing over the investigation to the NIA in 2011. The case included over 1,300 pages of final arguments, testimony from 323 witnesses (about 34–39 turned hostile), and criticism for procedural flaws and allegedly coerced confessions.

On July 31, 2025, nearly 17 years after the incident, a special NIA court in Mumbai acquitted all seven accused, citing lack of credible evidence, inconclusive forensic links, and improper application of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The court noted that there was no conclusive proof that the motorcycle used in the blast belonged to Thakur. Judge A.K. Lahoti also observed that the investigation—particularly by the ATS—was marred by serious lapses that significantly weakened the prosecution’s case.

The verdict in the case is significant as it was India's first high-profile case involving alleged acts of terrorism by individuals affiliated with Hindu nationalist groups, sparking a nationwide debate around the idea of “Hindu terror.”

The court emphasised: “No religion teaches violence. Terrorism has no religion. But the court cannot convict based on mere perception.”