Bombay High Court Clears Four in 2006 Malegaon Blast Case Deals Major Legal Setback to Prosecution

Mumbai:In a significant development in the 2006 Malegaon blasts case, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday discharged four accused and set aside a special court order that had framed charges against them. The ruling came as a major relief for the accused and marks an important turn in the long-running investigation into the deadly explosions.

A bench led by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Shyam Chandak allowed the appeals filed by Rajendra Chaudhary, Dhan Singh, Manohar Ram Singh Narwaria and Lokesh Sharma. The court quashed the earlier order of the special court, which had framed charges under serious provisions including murder, criminal conspiracy, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The case dates back to September 8, 2006, when a series of bomb blasts rocked Malegaon town in Maharashtra’s Nashik district. Explosions occurred at multiple locations, including near a mosque and a burial ground area shortly after Friday prayers, killing 31 people and injuring over 300 others. The incident remains one of the most serious terror attacks in the region.

Initially, the probe was handled by the state Anti-Terrorism Squad, which arrested nine Muslim men. However, the case later took a different direction after the National Investigation Agency assumed control of the investigation and alleged involvement of right-wing extremist elements, leading to the arrest of the four accused who have now been discharged.

Notably, the earlier accused had already been discharged by a special court, and the four men had challenged the framing of charges against them in the High Court, arguing that there was insufficient evidence to proceed. Earlier this year, the High Court had stayed the trial court proceedings while hearing their pleas.

With the latest ruling, the High Court has now quashed the charges entirely, effectively discharging the four accused from the case. The detailed reasoning behind the decision is expected to be released in the full order.