In a significant development, the Bombay High Court has discharged all four accused in the 2006 Malegaon blasts, which resulted in the loss of 37 lives and left over 100 individuals injured. This ruling brings the investigation full circle, as no individuals are currently facing trial for the devastating incident that occurred nearly twenty years ago.

The bench, consisting of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Shyam Chandak, allowed the appeals submitted by the accused on April 22, 2026. This decision effectively halts the prosecution initiated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), pending the release of a detailed order regarding the ruling. The 2006 blasts took place on September 8 at a Muslim cemetery in Malegaon, located in Nashik district, during the religious observance of Shab-e-Baraat.

Historical Context and Investigation Challenges

Following the blasts, nine Muslim men were arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). However, a special MCOCA court granted them bail in 2012, which prompted further investigation. The case was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2007, which had previously aligned with the ATS’s findings. The narrative shifted when the NIA assumed responsibility for the case and arrested four different individuals, identifying a separate conspiracy.

Throughout the hearing, the defence counsel raised substantial concerns regarding the evidence presented by the NIA. They highlighted the absence of eyewitnesses and any recoveries that could link the accused to the explosions. Furthermore, there was a notable lack of forensic evidence confirming claims that explosives were manufactured at the alleged site of production. The defence also drew attention to procedural errors, including a Test Identification Parade that occurred over six years after the initial incident, questioning the reliability of witness statements provided.

In court, an NIA official acknowledged the lack of eyewitnesses, further complicating the prosecution’s case. This criticism added significant weight to the application for discharge, as the defence argued that the evidence presented did not meet the standards required for a conviction.

Concerns Over Evidence and Victims’ Families React

The defence went on to scrutinise the confessional statements linked to Swami Aseemanand, which had been dismissed by a special NIA court in Hyderabad. They argued this undermined the prosecution’s narrative, questioning its validity. Moreover, soil samples collected from a site in Madhya Pradesh, where it was alleged that explosives were prepared, reportedly lacked traces of RDX, raising further doubts about the accusations against the discharged individuals.

For the families of the victims, the recent ruling reflects a deep-seated sense of injustice. Shafique Ahmed, who tragically lost his son in the blasts, had intervened in the case to support the prosecution. With all four accused now discharged, the case stands at an impasse, with no accountability established for one of the deadliest terror attacks in Maharashtra’s history.

This outcome has stirred emotions among the families, who continue to seek answers and justice for their lost loved ones, reflecting the ongoing struggle for closure in a case that has spanned nearly two decades.

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