A special NIA court in Mumbai today acquitted all seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit, in the 2008 Malegaon blast case.
The NIA court, in its judgment, said that the prosecution ‘failed to prove the case’ and that the accused ‘deserved the benefit of doubt’. The court has said that the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) did not apply to the case.
The Court also directed the Maharashtra government to provide compensation- ₹2 lakh each to the families of those killed and ₹50,000 to those injured in the incident.
On 29 September 2008, six people were killed and 95 others injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon City.