Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 31 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday hailed the acquittal of 7 people in the Malegaon blast case, highlighting how 'Bhagwa' (saffron) has never been and never will be related to terrorism.

'Aatankvad bhagwa na kabhi tha, na hai, na kabhi rahega,' ('Terrorism was never saffron, is not, and will never be') the Maharashtra CM posted on X.

https://x.com/Dev_Fadnavis/status/1950811880089436597

Mumbai's Special NIA court today acquitted all seven accused of being involved in the 2008 blasts in Malegaon, with the court saying that the prosecution failed to establish the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Meanwhile, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde also welcomed the NIA court verdict, saying that the 'truth can never be defeated.'

'From the very beginning, Shiv Sena has unequivocally supported the patriots who were falsely accused and imprisoned in the Malegaon blast case. This is because Shiv Sena never had any doubt that their cause was just. Colonel Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya, and the other seven individuals had to endure immense mental and physical torment due to these accusations. The Hindu community will never forget this injustice,' Shinde posted on X in Marathi.

Just before the verdict was delivered, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ram Kadam hit out at the previous Congress government for 'targeting' Hindu outfits by using the term 'bhagwa aatank' to malign them

'When the Malegaon bomb blast case happened, there was a Congress government in Maharashtra. That government deliberately pressurised the investigating officers and tried to implicate Hindu outfits, RSS and several of our leaders in this case. Congress is the one that gave birth to the term 'Bhagwa Aatank' (saffron terror). Saffron is supreme for us, for Hindutva and Sanatana Dharma,' the BJP leader said.

Back in 2010, then Union Home Minister had used the term 'Bhagwa Aatank' to describe it as terrorism done allegedly by certain Hindutva outfits, including the 2008 Malegaon blasts.

The NIA court has also ordered the Maharashtra government to award Rs 2 lakh compensation to the families of the victims and Rs 50,000 compensation to the injured.

A total of 7 people were accused, including former MP Sadhvi Pragya, Major (retired) Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhankar Dhar Dwivedi (Shankaracharya) and Sameer Kulkarni.

The court had examined 323 prosecution witnesses and 8 defence witnesses before pronouncing the verdict. The accused have been acquitted of all charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms act and all other charges.

'Prosecution proved that a blast occurred in Malegaon but failed to prove that bomb was placed in that motorcycle,' the Judge Abhay Lohati said.

On September 29 2008, six people were killed and 95 others injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon City's Bhikku Chowk. Originally, 11 people were accused in the case; however, the court ultimately framed charges against 7.

The lawyer representing the victims' families said that he will be challenging the acquittal of the 7 people in High Court. (ANI)