After 17 years, a Special NIA court will announce its verdict in the 2008 Malegaon blast case on Thursday.

Hearings and final arguments from both sides concluded on April 19, after which the court reserved its judgment. 

The court said that although the hearings concluded in April, the immense volume of evidence, exceeding one lakh pages, necessitated additional time to thoroughly review all materials before delivering the verdict.

All the accused in the case have been instructed to be present in court on the day of the verdict. The court has also warned that action will be taken against any accused who is absent on that day.

A total of seven individuals are facing trial in the case, including Lt Col Prasad Purohit, former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, and retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay.

They have been charged under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). All accused are currently out on bail.

The blast occurred on September 29, 2008, in Malegaon, a communally sensitive town in Maharashtra, during the holy month of Ramzan and just ahead of Navratri. The explosion claimed six lives and left over 100 people injured.

Over the course of a decade-long trial, the prosecution examined 323 witnesses, 34 of whom turned hostile.

Initially, the case was investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). However, in 2011, the probe was handed over to the NIA.

In 2016, the NIA submitted a charge sheet that cleared Pragya Singh Thakur and several other accused, citing insufficient evidence.

The verdict, which is going to be issued almost 17 years after the incident, is highly anticipated and is likely to have important legal and political consequences.

(With IANS Inputs)