A special NIA court in Mumbai will deliver its judgment on Thursday in the delayed Malegaon blast case, almost 17 years after a devastating blast rocked the town of Malegaon in Maharashtra’s Nashik district. 

What Happened In The 2008 Malegaon Blast?

A bomb strapped on a motorcycle went off near a mosque in a crowded, Muslim-populated part of Malegaon, a city in the state of Maharashtra, on September 29, 2008, during Ramadan, killing six individuals and injuring over 100. The explosion happened on the eve of the Hindu Navratri festival, and the police described it as an attempt to fan communal flames in the volatile region.

Who Are The Accused?

The initial-of-its-type terror trial in India targeted suspected Hindu extremists, including:

• Ex-BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur
• Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit (Indian Army)
• Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay
• Ajay Rahirkar
• Sameer Kulkarni
• Sudhakar Chaturvedi
• Sudhakar Dhar Dwivedi

All seven have been tried under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code, including charges of murder, attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, and inciting enmity between religious communities.

How Did The Investigation Proceed?

• Initially, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) took over. They tracked down the motorcycle involved in the blast to Pragya Singh Thakur and picked her up in October 2008.
• ATS detained 11 individuals over time, accusing them of belonging to an extremist organization, known as Abhinav Bharat, and attempting to take revenge on what they perceived as terrorist attacks by Muslim men.
• The case was in 2011 transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The NIA picked holes in the initial ATS inquiry, withdrew MCOCA charges, and even tried to acquit some accused, including Thakur, for insufficient direct evidence. The special court kept her along with six others as accused, alleging their involvement in meetings hatching the blast.
• The prosecution relied on the testimony of witnesses, forensic material, and confessions—although some witnesses later became hostile and there were disputes regarding how evidence was recovered. 

Major Trial Turning Points

• The trial opened in 2018, and more than 320 prosecution witnesses were cross-examined. Thirty-seven witnesses became hostile.
• The trial ended on April 19, 2025. Seven accused were left in the dock to face charges under UAPA, IPC, and the Explosive Substances Act.
• In closing arguments, NIA charged that the blast was masterminded to scare the Muslim community and disrupt law and order in the state.

Why Is This Verdict Important?

• Malegaon blast case became one of India’s most controversial and politically charged terror trials, thanks to the backgrounds of the accused and the intricacies, and the controversiality, of the investigation.
• The outcome will be closely watched, not just by the families of victims but also across political and social circles, as it could set precedents for future terror trials and shape debates about communal violence and justice in India.

The court’s judgment is expected today, bringing closure to a case that has spanned nearly two decades and seen numerous twists, legal challenges, and public attention.