Court Acquits All Accused in 2008 Malegaon Blast Case, Exposes Alleged Political Motives
A special court acquitted all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, citing failures by the prosecution to prove charges. Advocate JP Mishra claims the ruling vindicates their belief about political motivations behind the case, including the alleged creation of a 'saffron terror' narrative for election purposes.
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In a significant development, the Mumbai Special National Investigative Agency Court has acquitted all seven individuals accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, citing insufficient evidence against them. Advocate JP Mishra, counsel for BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, hailed the verdict as a validation of their stance that the charges were politically motivated.
The court's decision emphasized the lack of conclusive proof that the accused were involved in the attack, which resulted in six deaths and injuries to nearly 100 others. The judge noted that while a blast had indisputably occurred, the prosecution failed to convincingly link it to a motorcycle owned by the accused.
Allegations of a fabricated 'saffron terror' narrative, purportedly designed for political gain during the 2009 elections, were central to the defense's argument. Mishra accused the narrative of unfairly targeting individuals of a specific religion. Despite the acquittal, the victims' families' legal representative intends to appeal the decision in a higher court.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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