Daijiworld Media Network – Pune
Pune, Aug 4: Lt Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit received an emotional and grand welcome at his Pune residence on Sunday following his acquittal in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. Celebratory scenes unfolded as residents showered flower petals, burst crackers, and held up placards reading ‘Welcome Kaka’, expressing gratitude for his return after years of legal ordeal.
The Mumbai NIA court on July 31 acquitted all seven accused, including Lt Col Purohit, stating that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt. The judgment came after 17 years of investigation, hundreds of witness depositions, and multiple agency transfers, including from Maharashtra ATS to the NIA in 2011.
Reacting to the acquittal, Purohit’s wife, Aparna Purohit, told ANI, “I am really overwhelmed with the amazing welcome that we got here. It was absolutely unexpected… There was always a lot of support. I am glad this is over.”
She described the 17-year-long journey as a battle against injustice. “Truth is always the source of power. We knew what he had done for the country. This wasn’t just about my husband — it was about fighting what was wrong,” she added.
On September 29, 2008, six people were killed and 95 injured in a bomb blast near a mosque at Bhikku Chowk in Malegaon. An explosive device strapped to a motorcycle triggered the deadly explosion. While 11 were originally named as accused, charges were framed against only seven, including former MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur.
The court’s decision has now brought a close to one of India’s longest and most controversial terror-related trials.