2008 Malegaon blast case: Court acquits all 7 accused, including Pragya Thakur
New Delhi: A Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai today acquitted all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit, bringing an end to a legal saga that lasted 17 years.
The court pronounced its verdict this morning, more than three months after reserving judgment on April 19. The case, which spanned over a decade and involved more than one lakh pages of evidence, had seen prolonged delays in trial proceedings.
The Malegaon blast occurred on September 29, 2008, in the communally sensitive town of Malegaon in Maharashtra, during the holy month of Ramzan and just before Navratri. The explosion claimed six lives and left over 100 injured.
Initially probed by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the investigation was transferred to the NIA in 2011. The agency later submitted a supplementary charge sheet in 2016, dropping charges against several accused including Pragya Thakur, citing insufficient evidence, a move that sparked political and legal controversy.
During the trial, the prosecution examined 323 witnesses, 34 of whom turned hostile. All the accused were charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), but had been out on bail for several years.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
