In the 2008 Malegaon blast case, a special NIA court has acquitted all seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Thakur. All the accused were acquitted of charges under UAPA, Arms Act, and related laws.

The court said the prosecution failed to prove the case; the accused deserve benefit of doubt. The prosecution could not establish that the bike used in the incident belonged to Pragya Thakur.

Thakur said the acquittal by the court is not just a win for her but for every ‘Bhagwa’ (saffron). “The 2008 Malegaon blast case has ruined my life for the past 17 years. God will punish those who tried to insult ‘Bhagwa’, says Pragya Thakur.

Addressing the judge in the NIA Court after acquittal, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur said, “I said this from the very beginning that for those who are called for investigation, there should be a basis behind that. I was called by them for investigation and was 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 standing beside us. I am alive because I am a Sanyasi. They defamed Bhagwa through a conspiracy. Today, Bhagwa has won, and Hindutva has won, and God will punish those who are guilty. However, those who defamed India and Bhagwa have not been proved wrong by you…”

“The bomb blast has been proved by the Court. We will challenge this acquittal in the High Court. We will file the appeal independently,” said victim families’ lawyer Advocate Shahid Nadeem.

Advocate Prakash Salsingikar while briefing media after the Special NIA court acquitted all seven accused, says, “The court has said that this incident is very bad. However, the loss of victims can’t be fulfilled, but the court has asked for compensation for all those people.”

Slamming the verdict, Owaisi said, “The Malegaon blast case verdict is disappointing. Six namazis were killed in the blast and nearly 100 were injured. They were targeted for their religion. A deliberately shoddy investigation/prosecution is responsible for the acquittal.”

On 29 September 2008, a bomb strapped to a motorcycle exploded near a Malegaon mosque, killing six.