2008 Malegaon case: Pragya Thakur's lawyer claims Islamic student group behind blast

The lawyer representing former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur argued that the 2008 Malegaon blast may have been carried out by the banned Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

In Short

• Advocate Mishra argued locals prevented police from reaching the site
• Blast occurred near a building that once housed a SIMI office, says laywer
• 6 killed, over 100 injured in the 2008 Malegaon blast incident

The lawyer representing former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur stated in a special NIA court that the 2008 Malegaon blast may have been carried out by the banned Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

Advocate JP Mishra, appearing for Thakur, claimed that after the blast at Bhiku Chowk in Malegaon, local residents prevented the police from reaching the scene, potentially to protect the accused.

"Whenever there is an incident such as this, people help the police. However, in this case, immediately after the incident, a huge number of people gathered at the spot and pelted stones at police, preventing them from reaching the blast site," Mishra said. This could have been done to protect "their people (belonging to SIMI)", he said.

Mishra questioned why key prosecution evidence, such as videography of the blast site and the panchnama, did not mention the stone-pelting incident. He also highlighted that the blast occurred near a building that once housed a SIMI office, suggesting the bombs could have been made there and that the explosion may have been accidental while transporting explosives on a motorcycle.

The defence continued to challenge the prosecution's narrative, arguing that while the prosecution must prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, the defence aims to create reasonable doubt through alternative theories.

Mishra also criticised the framing of charges, stating that the prosecution failed to provide evidence of conspiracy meetings allegedly held in Faridabad and Bhopal. He noted the absence of witnesses and details regarding these meetings.

Thakur, the first person arrested in connection with the case, was implicated because the motorcycle used to plant the bomb was allegedly hers. She is accused of conspiring and executing the blast along with other co-accused.

The final arguments in the case are currently underway. After the prosecution concluded its arguments, Mishra began presenting his defence for Thakur, the primary accused. Following his arguments, Special Judge AK Lahoti will hear the defence arguments from the other accused people.

The Malegaon blast, which took place on September 29, 2008, killed six people and injured over 100 when a bomb strapped to a motorcycle exploded near a mosque in Malegaon, about 200 kilometres from Mumbai.