Malegaon verdict: Will Maha govt challenge NIA court order in SC as done in 2006 Mumbai train blasts case, asks Congress

Mumbai: Maharashtra Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal said on Thursday that the court has acquitted all the accused in the 2008 Malegaon bast case, the query of who carried out the bomb blast remains unanswered.

The government’s stand must be against terrorism, Sapkal said, adding that if the state government is willing to move the Supreme Court in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case, then it must do the same for the Malegaon blast case as well.

“The Congress has always stood firmly against terrorism. Through the sacrifices of Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi, the party has paid the ultimate price in the fight against terrorism. Terrorism has no religion or colour and a terrorist must be punished,” the State Congress President said.

He asked whether the state government, which has decided to approach the Supreme Court over the Mumbai railway blasts judgment, will also do the same in the Malegaon bomb blast judgment.

Sapkal said, “The 2008 Malegaon blast led to the death of six people and injured more 100 — this is a matter of fact. The then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Home Minister R.R. Patil, and Hemant Karkare, the Investigating Officer in the case, had followed up on the matter rigorously. We remember them today. Also relevant today is the statement made by Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian, who had said that after the change in government at the Centre, NIA officials asked her to adopt a lenient stand towards the accused in the Malegaon blast case.”

The Congress leader added: “The state government cannot adopt double standards. Just as the accused have been acquitted today, let’s not forget that the first terrorist in Independent India, Nathuram Godse, assassinated Mahatma Gandhi. Out of the seven accused in that case, six were convicted, while Savarkar was acquitted. However, the Kapoor Commission report had pointed fingers at Savarkar.”

Former Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan alleged that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) did not submit evidence in the court.

“NIA works under the Union Home Ministry’s jurisdiction. Until NIA works under the supervision of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, there will be similar rulings in future too.”

Leader of Opposition in State Council and Shiv Sena-UBT leader Ambadas Danve said, “We (Shiv Sena-UBT) hold you (Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis) in high regard. However, I just heard your (CM Fadnavis) statement. It is indeed a good thing that the accused in the Malegaon blast case have been acquitted. But you didn’t mention that the real masterminds behind it should also be traced. If you look a little into history, you will realise what kind of support (undivided Balasaheb Thackeray-led) Shiv Sena provided to the people, who have been acquitted today after that incident. We’ve been taught not to boast about the support we’ve given. That’s all for now.”

NCP Working President, Praful Patel, welcomed the NIA court judgement.

“All had condemned what happened in Malegaon, but the court’s verdict in the Malegaon blast should be welcomed by all. We consider citizens of our country as ‘Bharatiya’. Hindus were killed in the Pahalgam attack. We will only call this a terrorist attack.”

IANS