Malegaon Blast Case Acquittal: Mohammad Shafi Demands Investigation into the NIA’s Conduct

Mohammad Shafi, National Vice President of the Social Democratic Party of India expresses profound dismay and outrage at the acquittal of all seven accused, including Pragya Singh Thakur and Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit, in the 2008 Malegaon blast case by the special NIA court on July 31, 2025. This verdict is a grave miscarriage of justice for the victims of the heinous attack that claimed six lives and injured nearly 100 in Malegaon, Maharashtra, on September 29, 2008. The SDPI stands in solidarity with the victims’ families, who have been denied justice after 17 years of agony.

The initial investigation by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), led by the late Hemant Karkare, uncovered compelling evidence implicating Abhinav Bharat, a Hindu right-wing group, in a terror plot aimed at inciting communal violence. Karkare’s findings—including a motorcycle linked to Pragya Singh Thakur, confessions related to terror funding, and plans for establishing a “Hindu Rashtra”—exposed a dangerous network of extremism. The ATS also presented evidence that Colonel Purohit had supplied RDX stolen from the army, a critical indicator of his direct involvement. However, this was regrettably dismissed as inconclusive by both the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the court. Since 2014, under the BJP-led NDA government, the NIA has systematically undermined the ATS’s case. In its 2016 chargesheet, the NIA discredited the ATS’s findings as fabricated, dropped charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), and failed to pursue absconding suspects like Ramchandra Kalsangra—leaving critical gaps in the investigation unaddressed.

The revelation by former NIA prosecutor Rohini Salian in 2015 that she was pressured to “go soft” on the accused by NIA officer Suhas Warke is a damning indictment of political interference. The NIA’s refusal to oppose Thakur’s 2017 bail and its failure to rectify procedural lapses, such as contaminated evidence and defective UAPA sanctions, paved the way for the acquittal. The BJP’s elevation of Thakur as a 2019 Lok Sabha candidate and public statements by leaders like Devendra Fadnavis rejecting “saffron terrorism” further signal a deliberate effort to shield the accused, aligning with a broader Hindutva agenda.

This verdict not only betrays the victims but also emboldens right-wing extremism, as evidenced by the Bombay High Court’s approval of Thakur’s felicitation. The SDPI demands an immediate appeal to the Supreme Court to ensure accountability and a thorough investigation into the NIA’s conduct. We call for an independent probe into allegations of political pressure to protect the accused, ensuring that justice prevails over communal politics. The SDPI reaffirms its commitment to secularism, justice, and equality, urging all citizens to stand against attempts to polarize our nation.