Malegaon Verdict: Hindu Link with Terrorism Bid Failed, says RSS
Former BJP MP from Bhopal Pragya Thgakur! (Image X.com)
Court’s acquittal of all accused, including Sadhvi Pragya, is a vindication of truth, says RSS; blames previous regime for political misuse of investigative agencies
By AMIT KUMAR
NEW DELHI, July 31, 2025 — The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) today welcomed the acquittal of all accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, calling the court’s verdict a “victory of truth” and a rejection of the alleged attempts to malign Hindu society for political gains.
Reacting to the court order, Sunil Ambekar, Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh of the RSS, stated: “The truth has become clear today with the court’s verdict in the Malegaon blast case. Some individuals, driven by personal interests and political motives, misused power in a malicious attempt to link Hinduism and the entire Hindu society with terrorism.”
The RSS spokesperson also stated that “after a long judicial process and based on facts, the court has today, through its judgment, rejected those baseless allegations.”
The statement is being seen as a pointed criticism of the previous UPA-led government, which had initiated the investigation during its tenure and faced accusations of coining the controversial term “saffron terror” to describe such cases.
Malegaon Blast Case: A Recap
The Malegaon blast took place on September 29, 2008, near a mosque in Malegaon, Maharashtra, killing six people and injuring over 100 others. Initial investigations were conducted by the Maharashtra ATS, later taken over by the NIA.
Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, former BJP Member of Parliament from Bhopal, was one of the primary accused in the case, along with Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit, retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, and others. The prosecution had alleged that the motorcycle used in the blast was registered in Sadhvi Pragya’s name.
After spending over nine years in jail, Sadhvi Pragya was granted bail in 2017 on health grounds, with the Bombay High Court noting inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case and the lack of concrete evidence tying her directly to the act of terrorism.
Verdict After 17 Years
After a protracted 17-year legal battle, the special NIA court on Thursday, acquitted all the accused, citing lack of credible evidence and inconsistencies in witness testimonies. The court observed that the prosecution failed to establish a direct link between the accused and the explosives or the conspiracy.
The acquittal has reignited the political debate surrounding “Hindutva terror”, with the RSS and BJP claiming vindication, while critics of the verdict are likely to raise concerns over the integrity of the investigation and the treatment of the victims.
Political Implications
Sadhvi Pragya, who has maintained her innocence throughout, issued a brief statement thanking her supporters and calling the verdict “a moment of justice not just for me, but for the entire Hindu community that was unfairly targeted.”
The ruling is expected to bolster the BJP and Sangh Parivar’s position ahead of upcoming elections, especially among its core ideological base. However, civil rights groups have urged a review of how the case was handled and demanded justice for the blast victims.
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