MUMBAI: Citing lack of “cogent, reliable and acceptable evidence”, a special NIA court acquitted on Thursday all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit.
“The court of law is not supposed to proceed on popular or predominant public perceptions… the more serious the offence, the higher the degree of proof needed for conviction,” special judge A K Lahoti said.
“Though there was strong suspicion of the accused, it cannot take place of legal proof.”
What the judge saidProsecution has failed to provide cogent and reliable evidence
Failed to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt
Terrorism has no religion No religion in the world preaches violence.
Court of law is not supposed to proceed on popular or predominant public perceptions.
The testimony of prosecution witnesses is riddled
With material inconsistencies and contradictions (39 witnesses turned hostile)
— A K Lahoti | Special judge
Six of the seven had spent nine years in jail as undertrials till 2017 before getting bail in a case purportedly linked to a plot by right-wing extremists to terrorise the local Muslim population of Malegaon. Six people died in the 2008 blast and 101 were injured.
The judgment, delivered after a legal process lasting 17 years, highlighted lapses in the probe conducted by the state’s anti-terrorism squad before it was handed over to the National Investigation Agency. The judge pointed to retractions by numerous witnesses and shortcomings such as mishandling of the crime scene and planting of evidence.
After the verdict, Thakur took a seat in the witness box. Addressing the judge, she said the verdict was a “victory for Hindutva”. Breaking down, she said her life was destroyed by the humiliation and stigma of being labelled a terrorist for 17 years. “ Jinhone bhi humaare saath galat kiya, prabhu unko kabhi kshama nahi karega (God will punish those who wronged us).”
Purohit, who arrived with military security, said the agencies are not wrong, but the people running them were.
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