Lt Col. Prasad Purohit gets relief in Malegaon blast case: How he was accused of running 'source network' in J&K

Lt Colonel Purohit has been acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case after the court found no concrete evidence against him. (File photo/PTI)

On July 31, 2025, a special NIA court in Mumbai acquitted all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, among them Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit and former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur.

The court cited lack of reliable evidence, defective sanction orders under UAPA, and procedural flaws in the investigation as reasons for the verdict.

Purohit is a serving Army officer attached to Southern Command’s Military Intelligence. Arrested on November 5, 2008, he was 36 at the time and remains a Lieutenant Colonel today.

He was accused of allegedly procuring RDX in Jammu & Kashmir and conspiring in the Malegaon blasts alongside extremist elements.

His defence team highlighted official letters commending him for running a “source network” in J&K and leading an operation where he laid an ambush to intercept infiltrating terrorists, risking personal safety.

He was also invited in 2005 by ATS to train officers on intelligence operations, and his record described him as “intelligent, professionally competent and dedicated.”

Purohit was described by the Ministry of Defence in internal documents as having “run a source network” and operated as he was trained to, according to The Times of India. His team also submitted citations and letters recommending him for honours like the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card for bravery in Jammu and Kashmir.

One such letter described a 2001 operation where, after receiving intel about terrorists attempting infiltration along the LoC, he volunteered to lay an ambush and led a team that intercepted and neutralised the threat—"without caring for personal safety."

Another Army citation called him a “professionally competent, intelligent and dedicated officer,” adding that he had even infiltrated banned anti-national organisations as part of his assignments.

The court ruled that UAPA sanction orders were defective, invalidating the prosecution's case.  Key allegations, such as linking the blast motorcycle to Pragya Thakur or establishing explosives found at Purohit’s residence, lacked proof. Forensic evidence was deemed inconclusive or mishandled.

After the verdict, Lt Col Purohit said: “I am a soldier who loves this country immensely. The country must always remain supreme and its foundations strong.”

He described the ordeal as “a sacrifice of nine years” and thanked the judiciary, the Army, and his legal team for restoring his faith in institutions.

The acquittal brings closure to a nearly 17-year-long investigation into one of India's most controversial terror cases. All accused, including Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay and others, were cleared. The court also ordered ₹2 lakh compensation to each victim’s family and ₹50,000 to injured survivors.