Mumbai: Less than two months after a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court acquitted Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit in the 2008 Malegaon terror bomb blast case, the Indian Army has promoted him to the rank of Colonel. Purohit, one of seven accused tried for their roles in the terror blast, alongside former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Pragya Singh Thakur, was acquitted after the prosecution failed to prove the case in court.

Special Judge A.K. Lahoti, while acquitting the seven accused, pointed to “grave suspicion” against them but added that “a grave degree of suspicion is established, but not enough to convict the accused persons. Hence, the court has given them the benefit of doubt.” Judge Lahoti further stated, “There can be strong suspicion, but mere suspicion is not enough to punish them.”

The NIA, which claimed it would seek legal opinion to decide whether to challenge the acquittal in the Bombay High Court, has shown no commitment to pursuing the case further. Meanwhile, the families of the six individuals killed in the blast have challenged the acquittal.

Speaking to the media, Purohit’s wife, Aparna, confirmed the promotion. This promotion can be interpreted as a clear stand by the government in support of an individual who was a terror accused for over 17 years.

Minister of Textile Giriraj Singh shared a picture of the pipping ceremony of Purohit and congratulated him. “Congratulations Col. Purohit on being back in uniform. The Govt (government( stands firmly with patriots who serve the nation with courage and integrity,” Singh wrote.

A serving army officer, Purohit’s arrest in 2008 was considered key in establishing the “motive” behind the blast. The case was initially handled by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and was later taken over by the NIA after its inception in 2009.

According to the ATS, Purohit founded the Abhinav Bharat organisation in 2006, through which funds were allegedly collected and the conspiracy planned. The ATS claimed that Purohit, through this organisation, aimed to establish a “Hindu Rashtra [nation]” with its own constitution, flag, and “government in exile” to be operated from either Israel or Thailand.

The ATS also claimed to have established financial links and invoked sections of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA) to investigate pecuniary activities in the case. While the MCOCA charges were dropped in the initial stage of the trial, Purohit and the other accused faced trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The incident occurred on September 29, 2008, when a bomb exploded at Bhikku Chowk in Malegaon, once renowned for its power loom industry. In the immediate aftermath, a First Information Report was lodged with the local police. The investigation was subsequently handed over to the ATS.

Then ATS chief Hemant Karkare, who was killed in another Mumbai terror attack on November 26, 2008, initially led the investigation. The seven accused were tried under various charges, including provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substances Act, and the Indian Penal Code for murder and conspiracy.

The case, which spanned nearly 17 years, saw several dramatic developments. Initially, 12 individuals were named in the case and spent close to nine years in jail. In May 2016, when the NIA filed a supplementary chargesheet, it dropped six names, including that of Thakur. The agency’s attempt to discharge her from the case was challenged, and she continued to face trial.

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