2008 Malegaon blast case: Pragya Thakur, Lt Col Purohit hail acquittal, thank court

Former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit on Thursday hailed a special court's order acquitting them in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, which claimed six lives and injured 101 others.

Thakur said the acquittal was not just a win for her, but for every "bhagwa" (saffron). She also said her life was ruined for the past 17 years, and that God will punish those who tried to insult "bhagwa".

After the verdict, Thakur, Purohit and the other five accused thanked Special NIA Judge A K Lahoti and their lawyers.

Thakur told the court her life was spoilt since her arrest in the case in 2008 and that she was able to survive only because she was a "sanyasi".

"This case was not just fought by me but by Bhagwa (saffron). Mera pura jeewan kalankit kar diya tha (my whole life had been disgraced)," she said.

"Aaj Bhagwa ki vijay hui hai, nyay ki jeet hui hai (today Bhagwa has won, justice has won). Jisne bhi bhagwa ko badnaam kiya bhagwaan use saza dega (whoever insulted bhagwa, God will punish them)," Thakur told the court.

Purohit said he was implicated in the case and asserted he will continue to serve the nation as before and with the same vigor.

"No investigating agency is wrong; it is the people serving in these agencies who are wrong. This nation is great. We must take care that wrong people do not rise and make people like us suffer," he said.

Purohit, who was reinstated in the Army pending trial, said he would continue serving the organisation and the nation.

An explosive device strapped to a motorcycle went off near a mosque in the town, located about 200 km from Mumbai, on September 29, 2008 killing six persons and injuring 101 others.

The special court on acquitted all the seven accused in the case, noting there was "no reliable and cogent evidence" against them.

No religion teaches violence, the court said. Terrorism has no religion, but the court cannot convict on mere perception, it added.