"Verdict is disappointing": AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi on 2008 Malegaon blast case - World News Network

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 31 (ANI): All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday expressed his disappointment over the Malegaon blast case verdict in which all the seven accused were acquitted by the Mumbai NIA special court today.
In a post shared on X, AIMIM MP claimed that six namazis were killed in the blast, and nearly 100 were injured, and they were targeted for their religion. He further alleged that “a deliberately shoddy investigation/prosecution is responsible for the acquittal.”
https://x.com/asadowaisi/status/1950803973646000197
Owaisi said in a post that even after 17 years of the blast, the Court acquitted all of the accused due to a lack of evidence. He added, “Will the Modi & Fadnavis governments appeal the judgement the way they swiftly demanded stay in the Mumbai train blasts acquittals? Will Maharashtra’s “secular” political parties demand accountability? Who killed the 6 people?”
Owaisi also referred to the 2016 incident when the then prosecutor in the case, Rohini Salian, went on record to say that NIA had asked him to “go soft” on the accused. “Remember, in 2017, NIA had tried to get Sadhvi Pragya acquitted. The same person would go on to be a BJP MP in 2019,” the post read.
He also expressed how Hemant Karkare uncovered the Malegaon conspiracy but was unfortunately killed by Pakistani terrorists in the 26/11 attacks. Owaisi added, “The BJP MP went on record saying that she had cursed him and his death was a consequence of his curse,” the post read.
Moreover, AIMIM MP asked whether NIA/ATS officers will be held accountable for their faulty investigation and added, “I think we know the answer”.
Lashing out at the Modi government at the Centre, Owaisi further said in the post, “This is the “tough on terror” Modi government. The world will remember that it made a terror accused a Member of Parliament.”
Today, Mumbai’s NIA special court acquitted all seven accused of being involved in the 2008 Malegaon blasts, with the court saying that the prosecution failed to establish the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The NIA court has also ordered the Maharashtra government to award Rs 2 lakh compensation to the families of the victims and Rs 50,000 compensation to the injured.A total of 7 people were accused, including former MP Sadhvi Pragya, Major (retired) Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhankar Dhar Dwivedi (Shankaracharya) and Sameer Kulkarni.
“All bail bonds of the accused are cancelled and sureties are discharged,” the NIA special court said.
The court had examined 323 prosecution witnesses and 8 defence witnesses before pronouncing the verdict. The 7 people have been acquitted of all charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms act and all other charges.
“Prosecution proved that a blast occurred in Malegaon but failed to prove that bomb was placed in that motorcycle,” Judge Abhay Lohati said.
The court also mentioned that there were some manipulation done of medical certificates. “Court has come to a conclusion that injured people were not 101 but 95 only and there was manipulation. In some medical certificates,” the court said.
The court also stated that there is no evidence of storing or assembling explosives in Prasad Purohit’s residence, another accused in the case.
“No sketch of spot was done by the investigation officer while doing panchnama. No finger print, dump data or anything else was collected for the spot. The samples were contaminated so reports can’t be conclusive and relied upon,” the court said.
On September 29 2008, six people were killed and 95 others injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon City’s Bhikku Chowk. Originally, 11 people were accused in the case; however, the court ultimately framed charges against 7, including former MP Sadhvi Pragya. (ANI)

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