Final hearing in 2008 Malegaon blast case begins: All you need to know

Mumbai: Sixteen years after a blast rocked the communally-sensitive town of Malegaon in Nashik district, a special court in Mumbai commenced final hearing in the case which has strong political overtones.

Seven accused, who are facing trial in the case are: Sadhvi Pragyasingh Thakur, the former BJP MP from Bhopal; Lt Col Prasad Purohit, a former Military Intelligence official; Sudhakar Dhar Dwivedi, who is a self-proclaimed Shankaracharya; Major Ramesh Upadhyaya (Retd), an expert in bomb-making; Sudhakar Chaturvedi alias Chanakya Sudhakar; Sameer Kulkarni, who helped procure explosives, and Ajay Rahirkar, who is associated with Abhinav Bharat.

All are facing trial under the provisions of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The blast on September 29, 2008 during the month of Ramzan and on the eve of Navratri had claimed six lives and injured six persons in Malegaon.

After the blast, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) stepped in and took charge from the Nashik Rural police. Subsequently, the case was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Four accused in the case were earlier discharged by the court.

The prosecution, during the start of the final hearing, said that the intention of the terror act was to create communal rift and endanger internal security.

The accused are facing trial under sections 16 (committing terrorist act) and 18 (conspiring to commit terrorist act) of the UAPA and sections 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 153 (a) (promoting enmity between two religious groups) of the IPC.

It is noteworthy that the case was investigated by IPS officer Hemant Karkare, who was then the Special Inspector General of Police heading the ATS. Karkare laid down his life during the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai while fighting Pakistani terrorists.

Malegaon blast: The case so far

- September 29, 2008: Blast at Bhikku Chowk at Malegaon on eve of Navratri in which 6 persons were killed and 101 others injured

- November 4-5, 2008: Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit arrested

- November 26-29, 2008: 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, Special IGP Hemant Karkare, the chief investigator of Malegaon case lays down his life

- January 20, 2009: Charge sheet of 4,528 pages filed under sections of Indian Penal Code, MCOCA and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive Substances Act.

- July 31, 2009: MCOCA charges dropped

- July 19, 2010: Bombay High Court reinstates MCOCA charges

- December, 2010: NIA comes into picture in the case

- May 23, 2013: NIA files charge sheet in Mumbai’s special court

- July 24, 2015: Then Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian claims about pressure to go “soft” in the case

- April 15, 2016: NIA said it doesn’t favour or oppose discharge of 2006 Malegaon accused

- December, 2016: Suspended police officer Mahiboob Mujawar claims two absconders are Ramji alias Ramchandra Kalsangra and Sandeep Dange killed by police, NIA assures probe

- April 25, 2017: Col Purohit’s bail rejected by Bombay High Court, Sadhvi Pragyasingh Thakur gets bail

- August 21, 2017: Supreme Court grants bail to Col Purohit

- August 23, 2017: Col Purohit comes out of Taloja central prison

- December 27, 2017: MCOCA case against Col Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya dropped

- July 25, 2024: Final hearing commences before NIA court

Details of the blast

Date: September 29, 2008

Time: 9:35 pm

Total blast: One

Place: Between Anjuman Chowk & Bhikku Chowk

Casualties: 6 killed, 101 injured

Timing: On the eve of Navratri, during month of Ramzan

Investigations: By ATS and subsequently NIA joined the probe

Organisations involved: Hindu fundamentalist groups like Abhinav Bharat

The Seven accused:

1. Sadhvi Pragyasingh Chandrapal Singh Thakur alias Swami

2. Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit (key conspirator, motivator of the group, helped procure RDX)

3. Sudhakar Dhar Dwivedi alias Dayanand Pandey alias Swami Amrutanand Devtirth (self-proclaimed Shankaracharya, resident of J&K, a key conspirator)

4. Major Ramesh Upadhyaya (Retd) (Pune resident, accused to imparting training and taught bomb making)

5. Sudhakar Onkarnath Chaturvedi alias Chanakya Sudhakar (Resident of Thane, weapons were found from him, was part of planning)

6. Ajay alias Raja Rahirkar (Pune-based treasurer of Abhinav Bharat)

7. Sameer Kulkarni alias Chanakya Sameer (Hails from Pune, helped procure material for making the bomb)

Two wanted accused:

1. Ramji alias Ramchandra Kalsangra (Resident of Indore, planted bomb)

2. Sandeep Dange (Resident of Indore, planted bomb)

(It has also been reported on the basis of claims of a police officer that the two wanted accused had actually died in police custody)