2008 Malegaon Blast Verdict Today: Who Are The 7 Key Accused And What Charges Are They Facing?

Mumbai: The 2008 Malegaon blast case verdict is expected to be delivered today by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai. The case involves seven key accused individuals, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, who are facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Who Are The Main Accused And Allegations On Them?

The accused in the blast case include Pragya Singh Thakur, a former BJP MP, who allegedly provided the bomb's motorcycle, and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, accused of supplying explosives and planning the attack. Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay is linked to the right-wing group Abhinav Bharat, accused of participating in planning meetings.

Ajay Rahirkar, the group's treasurer, is accused of financing the conspiracy. Sudhakar Dwivedi (Dayanand Pandey), a self-styled religious leader, allegedly provided ideological support. Sudhakar Chaturvedi is accused of storing explosives, and Sameer Kulkarni participated in planning meetings. They face charges under UAPA and various IPC sections, including conspiracy and murder.

Charges On The 7 Key Accused

The 7 main accused of 2008 Malegaon blasts are facing charges under UAPA sections 16 and 18: Committing and conspiring to commit terrorist acts and IPC sections 120(b): Criminal conspiracy; 302: Murder; 307: Attempt to murder; 324: Voluntarily causing hurt; 153(a): Promoting enmity between two religious groups.

The NIA has sought "commensurate punishment" for the accused, arguing that the blast was orchestrated to terrorize a section of the Muslim community, disrupt essential services, and create communal tensions. The agency presented 323 witnesses during the trial, of whom 37 turned hostile. The case has been ongoing for nearly 17 years, with the trial beginning in 2018 and concluding in April 2025.