Today, On 31st July, After her acquittal in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya declared, “They defamed Bhagwa through a conspiracy. Today, Bhagwa has won,” adding that Hindutva had triumphed and God would punish the guilty.
Mumbai: Former BJP MP Pragya Thakur acquitted of all charges in the 2008 Malegaon blast case by a Mumbai court today, which stated that there was no evidence to prove the motorcycle allegedly used in the attack belonged to her.
The judge remarked that while the prosecution successfully established that the blast occurred, it did not provide sufficient evidence linking the explosives to the LML Freedom motorcycle supposedly owned by Ms. Thakur.
The order was delivered by Special Judge A.K. Lahoti, who observed that the prosecution was unable to present any clear and convincing evidence to establish the guilt of the accused.
The judge said, acquitting her after one of the longest terror trials in Indian history,
“The motorbike’s chassis number was wiped out and engine number is in doubt. There is no evidence to show Sadhvi (Pragya Thakur) is the owner and no evidence to show she was in possession of the vehicle,”
This decision marks the end of a 17-year saga involving Pragya Thakur, the daughter of an Ayurvedic practitioner from Madhya Pradesh, who became a national figure after being accused of planning terror attacks in retaliation for prior incidents, including the 2006 Mumbai train blasts.
In her late 30s at the time, she was often referred to as the face of “Hindu terror,” a term that gained traction after the Malegaon blasts in 2008.
Thakur was accused of organizing manpower for the attack, while her co-accused, former Army officer Prasad Purohit, was alleged to have supplied the explosives. Both were acquitted today, along with five others.
Upon the verdict’s announcement, Ms. Thakur addressed the judge, stating,
“I said this from the very beginning that if people are called for investigation, there should be a basis behind that. I was called, arrested and tortured. This ruined my whole life. I was living a sage’s life, but I was made an accused, and no one was willing to stand beside us. I am alive because I am a Sanyasi. They defamed bhagwa (saffron) through a conspiracy. Today, bhagwa has won, and Hindutva has won, and God will punish those who are guilty.”
In response to the verdict, Pragya Thakur’s sister, Upma Singh, expressed their unwavering faith in the justice system, stating,
“She said from the beginning that she was innocent.”
At the end Pragya Thakur said,
“I said this from the very beginning that if people are called for investigation, there should be a basis behind that. I was called, arrested and tortured.”
She added,
“This ruined my whole life. I was living a sage’s life, but I was made an accused, and no one was willing to stand beside us.”
At the end with teary eye she said,
“I am alive because I am a Sanyasi. They defamed bhagwa (saffron) through a conspiracy. Today, bhagwa has won, and Hindutva has won, and God will punish those who are guilty.”
The Bike and the Blast
The prosecution argued that the blasts on September 29, 2008, were caused by explosives attached to a motorcycle. During the investigation by the Mumbai Anti-Terror Squad, it was discovered that the LML Freedom bike’s registration number was fake, and both the chassis and engine numbers had been erased.
Forensic tests on motorcycle parts recovered from the blast site later restored the engine number, revealing that the bike was registered in Ms. Thakur’s name. She was arrested on October 23, 2008.
Allegations of Torture
Pragya Thakur has consistently claimed that she was tortured while in police custody regarding the blasts. In 2014, the National Human Rights Commission initiated an inquiry into her allegations but found no supporting evidence. Thakur ignited controversy in 2019 when she stated that Hemant Karkare, the Mumbai ATS chief who died during the 26/11 attacks, lost his life due to a “curse” she had placed on him.
She had claimed,
“The investigation team called Hemant Karkare and said that if you do not have evidence, let her go. He said, I will do anything to get evidence against her. I won’t let her go. This was his hatred. You won’t believe, I said, ‘tera sarvanash hoga’. Just after a month, terrorists killed him,”
Following significant backlash, she later retracted her statement and referred to Karkare as a “martyr.”
2019 Election and Five Years of Controversies
Pragya Thakur’s candidacy in the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Bhopal sparked political controversy, but she won decisively against Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh. However, shortly after her victory, she stirred further controversy by referring to Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin, as a “patriot.”
Prime Minister Modi subsequently remarked that he would never forgive those who insult Gandhi. Throughout her term, Ms. Thakur frequently made headlines for various controversies, including provocative remarks and visuals of her dancing and celebrating despite being out on bail for medical reasons.
List of Respondents and Advocates in High-Profile Case : National Investigation Agency v Pragyasingh Chandrapalsingh Thakur and Ors
- Pragyasingh Chandrapalsingh Thakur @ Swami Purna Chtnanand Giri & Ors.
Represented by Advocate J. P. Mishra and Advocate Maggu - Shivnarayan Kalsangra
- Shyam Sahu
(No advocate details listed) - Shri Ramesh Shivji Upadhyaya
Represented by a multi-member legal team including:- Advocate Pasbola
- Advocate Divya Singh
- Advocate Mrunal Bhide
- Advocate Swaraj Sable
- Advocate Pranav Gole
- Sameer Sharad Kulkarni @ Chanakya Sameer
- Ajay @ Raja Eknath Rahirkar
Represented by Advocate J. P. Mishra - Rakesh Dattatray Dhawde
- Jagdish Chintaman Mhatre
- Prasad Shrikant Purohit
Represented by:- Advocate Phadke
- Advocate Babar
- Sudhakar Dhar Dwivedi @ Dayanand Pandey @ Swami Amrutanand Devtirth
Represented by:- Advocate Ranjeet Sangle
- Advocate Chaitnya Kulkarni
- Sudhakar Onkarnath Chaturvedi @ Chanakya Sudhakar
Represented by a legal team including:- Advocate Punalekar
- Advocate Salsingikar
- Advocate Sachin Kanse
- Advocate Ashish Kanojiya
- Advocate Nair
- Praveen Vyankatesh Takkalki
Case Title: National Investigation Agency v Pragyasingh Chandrapalsingh Thakur and Ors
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