Following her acquittal in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, former BJP parliamentarian Pragya Singh Thakur has alleged that investigators coerced her into naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat, among others, in connection with the blasts that killed six people and injured scores more.
Thakur, who spent nearly nine years in prison before being granted bail in 2017, told reporters after the verdict that she was tortured and detained illegally during the early stages of the investigation and subjected to intense pressure to implicate senior BJP and RSS leaders. She maintained that the entire case was fabricated by the then Congress-led government.
“They made me name several people, including (senior BJP leader) Ram Madhav. To do all of this, they tortured me,” Thakur said, alleging that officials told her, “Take these names and we won’t beat you.”
The 2008 blast occurred in Malegaon, a communally sensitive town in Maharashtra’s Nashik district, when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque during evening prayers. Initially blamed on Islamic militant groups, the investigation later shifted focus to alleged Hindu extremist groups, resulting in the arrests of Thakur and others linked to Abhinav Bharat.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) claimed that the motorcycle used in the bombing was registered in Thakur’s name. However, the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai, which delivered its verdict on Thursday, acquitted all seven accused, citing the prosecution’s failure to establish charges beyond reasonable doubt.
Also read: Malegaon blast case: Court strikes off bailable warrant against MP Pragya Thakur
“This verdict is a victory for Sanatan Dharma and Hindutva,” Thakur declared, reaffirming her political and ideological stance after the court’s ruling.
Her statement came days after another explosive claim by former ATS officer Mehboob Mujawar, who alleged that senior officials had instructed him to arrest Mohan Bhagwat in connection with the Malegaon blast case, an order he claimed to have defied.
However, the special NIA court dismissed that allegation during proceedings. The court cited testimony from ACP Mohan Kulkarni, the then chief investigating officer, who denied that Mujawar had ever received such an instruction. The court ruled that there was no evidence to substantiate claims of political framing or external influence in the investigation.
Thakur’s acquittal has sparked sharp reactions from families of the victims, many of whom have expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict and alleged a failure of the investigative process. Some kin have vowed to challenge the judgment in higher courts.
The Malegaon case has long remained controversial, not only for its tragic toll but also for the shifting narrative surrounding its perpetrators. The use of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the involvement of high-profile political figures turned it into a landmark case in the history of India’s counter-terror jurisprudence.
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