Mumbai: In a significant development in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally demanded the death penalty for former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Pragya Singh Thakur and six other accused. The request was made before the Special NIA Court in Mumbai under Section 16 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), citing the grave nature of the terrorist act that killed six and injured over 100 people.
The case has witnessed a fresh twist as the presiding judge, A.K. Lahoti, has been included in the Bombay High Court’s latest transfer list of district judges. Judge Lahoti, who has been hearing the Malegaon case for several years, has been transferred from Mumbai to Nashik and is expected to assume his new post on June 9. This transfer has raised concerns among the victims’ families and their legal representatives, who have appealed to the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Alok Aradhe, to intervene and allow Judge Lahoti to continue presiding over the case until a verdict is delivered.
On March 20, the lawyer representing the victims submitted a formal letter to the Chief Justice, stating that arguments in the case are nearing completion. “The present letter is a sincere request on behalf of the victims to retain the Hon’ble Special Judge Shri A.K. Lahoti at the Hon’ble City Civil and Sessions Court for Greater Bombay, in Mumbai,” the letter read.
The 2008 Malegaon blast occurred on September 29 in the communally sensitive town of Malegaon in Maharashtra’s Nashik district. The blast, triggered by an explosive device fitted to a motorcycle, led to multiple casualties and was initially investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad before being handed over to the NIA. The investigation led to the arrest of several individuals, including Pragya Thakur, who later became a Member of Parliament from Bhopal in 2019 on a BJP ticket.
The NIA’s call for capital punishment comes at a time when the legal proceedings are nearing closure. However, the transfer of the presiding judge could potentially delay the long-pending verdict, leading to renewed calls for judicial continuity and sensitivity in high-profile terror cases.
Further updates are awaited as the Bombay High Court considers the appeal to retain Judge Lahoti and the Special Court prepares to decide on the severity of punishment for the accused.
