Following the NIA court's acquittal of all accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, Lt Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit expressed gratitude to the judiciary, the armed forces, and all those who supported him throughout the legal battle. 

Speaking with the reporters, Lt Colonel Purohit said, "I am extremely grateful to the country and those who stood by us. I am grateful to the judiciary for understanding the case and delivering justice to all of us. During the fight, the Armed forces stood by me. I have no words to express my gratitude to all of them."

Reacting to the acquittal of all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC criticised Congress for coining the term "saffron terror" and questioned the idea that terrorism has any colour. 

Speaking with the reporters, she said, "This was a trap set after the Malegaon blast. Who says terror has a colour? It was the Congress party that coined the term saffron terror. When the ATS mishandled the case, it was later handed over to the NIA. After 17 years and nearly 320 witnesses, we must accept the court's judgment. This is not just a win for Hindutva, but a victory for the truth."

VIDEO | Delhi: Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC (@ShainaNC ) reacted to the acquittal of all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case by a special NIA court, says, "This was a trap set after the Malegaon blast. Who says terror has a colour? It was the Congress party that coined… pic.twitter.com/i6fuO84Qqp

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 31, 2025

Following the 2008 Malegaon blast verdict, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti called for strict action against leaders who tried to establish the term 'Bhagwa' terror. 

"I want to ask what punishment should the leaders get, who tried to establish the term 'Bhagwa' terror; Extraordinary action should be taken against them," Uma Bharti said.

"I want to ask what punishment should the leaders get, who tried to establish the term 'Bhagwa' terror. Extraordinary action should be taken against them" : Former Madhya Pradesh CM Uma Bharti on 2008 Malegaon blast case verdict pic.twitter.com/hxeHTtZgjc

— NDTV (@ndtv) July 31, 2025

After the NIA court acquitted all accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad slammed the Congress, calling the "Hindu terror" narrative a baseless conspiracy for vote bank politics. 

While addressing a press briefing, Prasad said, "Congress's conspiracy of Hindu terror has been destroyed. There was no evidence against any of the accused. Colonel Purohit, who fought against terrorism in Kashmir, was accused. Pragya Thakur was accused of using her motorcycle in the blast. She was tortured so much that she could not walk after that. This was a Congress conspiracy for sheer vote bank politics. We welcome the court's decision."

#WATCH | On NIA court acquitting all the accused in the Malegaon Blast case, BJP leader Ravishankar Prasad says, "Congress's conspiracy of Hindu terror has been destroyed. There was no evidence against any of the accused. Colonel Purohit, who fought against terrorism in Kashmir,… pic.twitter.com/zIlI54QCK7

— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2025

Following the acquittal of all accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath described the verdict as a "vibrant proclamation of Satyameva Jayate," and launched a sharp attack on the Congress

In a post on X, Adityanath said, "The acquittal of all accused in the Malegaon blast case is a vibrant proclamation of Satyameva Jayate... The Congress should publicly acknowledge its unforgivable misdeed and apologize to the nation."

मालेगांव विस्फोट प्रकरण में सभी आरोपियों का निर्दोष सिद्ध होना 'सत्यमेव जयते' की सजीव उद्घोषणा है।
यह निर्णय कांग्रेस के भारत विरोधी, न्याय विरोधी और सनातन विरोधी चरित्र को पुनः उजागर करता है, जिसने 'भगवा आतंकवाद' जैसा मिथ्या शब्द गढ़कर करोड़ों सनातन आस्थावानों, साधु-संतों और…

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) July 31, 2025

Reacting to the acquittal of all accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh emphasised that no religion supports terrorism and stated that Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, or followers of any faith cannot be terrorists.

"No Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or anyone from any religion can be a terrorist; All religions promote love and peace and tolerance. Some people use religion as a weapon of hate," Singh said.

Reacting to the acquittal of all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that "truth is never defeated." He also welcomed the verdict, calling it the end of a dark chapter.

In a post on X, Shinde said, "Truth is never defeated. After a long battle of seventeen years, a special court has acquitted seven alleged accused in the Malegaon bomb blast case. It is true that justice was delayed, but it has once again been proven that truth is never defeated. From the very beginning, Shiv Sena has unequivocally supported the patriots who were falsely accused and imprisoned in the Malegaon blast case... A dark chapter has ended today... Truth may be troubled, but it is never defeated."

सत्य कधी पराभूत होत नाही :
सतरा वर्षांच्या दीर्घ लढाईनंतर मालेगाव बॉम्बस्फोटातील सात कथित आरोपींची विशेष न्यायालयाने निर्दोष मुक्तता केली. न्यायाला उशीर झाला हे खरं आहे, पण सत्य कधीही पराजित होत नसतं, हे पुन्हा एकवार सिध्द झालंय.
मालेगावच्या स्फोटांप्रकरणी खोटे आरोप करुन…

— Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) July 31, 2025

Following the verdict in the 2008 Malegaon blast case by the Special NIA Court, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that saffron could never be terror.

आतंकवाद भगवा न कभी था, ना है, ना कभी रहेगा!#MalegaonVerdict

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) July 31, 2025

After the Special NIA Court acquitted all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, Lt Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit expressed gratitude to the judiciary, saying the verdict would allow him to return to serving the nation. 

Purohit also thanked the court for restoring public faith in the justice system.

Addressing the judge in the NIA Court, Lt Colonel Purohit said, "I thank you for giving me a chance to serve my nation and my organisation with the same conviction which I was doing before me being framed in this matter. I don't blame any organisation for all this. Organisations like investigating agencies are not wrong, but people inside the organisations are the ones who have done wrong. I thank you for restoring the faith of the common man in the system again."

Following the verdict in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, former BJP MP and accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur spoke about the suffering she endured during the investigation, claiming she was falsely implicated, tortured, and defamed as part of a larger conspiracy. 

Addressing the judge in the NIA Court, Sadhvi Pragya Singh said, "I said this from the very beginning that 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 and accused, and no one was willingly standing beside us. I am alive because I am a Sanyasi..."

Following the verdict in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, the Special NIA Court has directed the Additional Director General (ADG) of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) to initiate a probe into allegations that explosives were planted at the residence of accused Sudhakar Chaturvedi. 

"We have ordered the ADG ATS to initiate a probe into the matter of planting of explosives in the house of accused Sudhakar Chaturvedi,"  the Court said.

Reacting to the Special NIA Court's verdict in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, Upma Singh, sister of  Sadhvi Pragya, told NDTV that the truth surfaced after enduring years of torture. "The truth came out after a lot of torture, it went on for many years; Court pronounced the verdict on the evidence that was presented," she said.

Following the Special NIA Court's verdict in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, Advocate Shahid Nadeem, representing the victims' families, expressed disappointment over the acquittals and stated that they will independently appeal the acquittals in the High Court.

Victim families' lawyer Advocate Shahid Nadeem said, "The bomb blast has been proved by the Court. We will challenge this acquittal in the High Court. We will file the appeal independently."

The families of all the six victims of the 2008 Malegaon blast case will be given Rs 2 lakh each, and all injured victims will be given Rs 50,000 as compensation.

The NIA judge extended benefit of doubt to all accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case and said that mere suspicion cannot lead to conviction. The judge also said, "No doubt terror has no religion, but conviction cannot happen based on the evidence presented."

Former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, ex Army officer Shrikant Purohit acquitted in 2008 Malegaon blast case

Judge begins pronouncing verdict, says prosecution successfully proved blast happened but failed to establish bomb was fitted on the bike. The motorcycle chassis number was wiped out and the engine number is under doubt. There is no evidence to show Sadhvi Pragya is the owner and was in possession of the bike.

Judge says though RDX was brought and used is the allegation, there is no evidence of storage of RDX in Lt Colonel Purohit’s house and no evidence to show he assembled it.

In April 2011, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the case. While the NIA continued with the prosecution of the main accused, its findings diverged in some crucial areas from the ATS's earlier version. In its supplementary charge sheet filed in 2016, the NIA dropped charges under MCOCA and exonerated several individuals previously named by the ATS, citing lack of prosecutable evidence. NIA found serious loopholes in ATS probe and alleged that accused were tortured to extract confessional statements. 

The NIA, however, kept the charges under UAPA, IPC, and Arms Act intact against key accused like Sadhvi Pragya and Lt Col Purohit.

The agency's case rested on the involvement of Abhinav Bharat, which it said was the ideological front where meetings were held to discuss retaliatory attacks. Although the NIA sought to discharge Thakur from the case, the special court held that there was sufficient prima facie evidence to proceed with her trial. Purohit, it alleged, had a larger role, supplying explosives, ideological support, and coordinating with other group members.

The Malegaon blast was initially investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). The ATS, then led by Hemant Karkare, claimed that the blast was carried out by individuals linked to right-wing Hindu extremist groups. Their investigation marked a turning point in Indian counter-terrorism narratives, as it was the first time that individuals associated with Hindu organisations were accused of terrorism.

The ATS arrested Sadhvi Pragya, whose motorcycle was allegedly used in the blast. Investigators claimed that she was actively involved in the planning and had provided the vehicle to the perpetrators. Lt Col Purohit was arrested later and accused of being a key ideologue and facilitator. The ATS alleged that Purohit, through his association with the group Abhinav Bharat, arranged meetings, recruited individuals, and procured RDX used in the blast.

The ATS claimed the blast was part of a broader plan to carry out retaliatory attacks against Muslims. Statements from co-accused and witnesses were cited, including allegations that meetings were held in Bhopal, Faridabad, and other locations where the idea of forming a "Hindu Rashtra" and launching attacks was discussed. The ATS charged the accused under stringent laws, including the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

Among the seven on trial, Sadhvi Pragya and Lt Col Purohit emerged as the most prominent and controversial accused in the case.

Sadhvi Pragya, a former Member of Parliament from Bhopal, was arrested in October 2008. The motorcycle used in the blast was registered in her name. The Maharashtra ATS claimed that she was part of a larger conspiracy to target Muslim-dominated areas in retaliation for earlier terror attacks.

Lt Col Purohit, then an Indian Army officer posted in military intelligence, was accused of providing logistical and material support to a radical Hindu group named Abhinav Bharat, which the ATS alleged was behind the Malegaon blast. Investigators claimed Purohit helped arrange explosives and was part of meetings where attacks were allegedly planned.

Both have denied the charges, alleging they were falsely implicated and tortured during the probe.