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Malegaon blast acquittals: ‘Army has always supported me,’ says Lt Col Purohit; Major Ramesh Upadhyay (retd) thanks Bal Thackeray

Among the acquitted Malegaon blast accused are two people with Army backgrounds–Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, a serving Army officer, and Major Ramesh Upadhyay (retired).

2008 Malegaon blast case, Malegaon blast verdict, NIA Malegaon case, Pragya Singh Thakur acquitted, Lt Colonel Prasad Purohit acquittal,

The NIA had taken over the investigation of the Malegaon blast from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in 2011. (File photo)

Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, one of the seven Malegaon blast accused who were acquitted on Thursday, thanked the judiciary as well as his lawyers, including Harish Salve and Mukul Rohatgi, who he said appeared for him in the case without taking any fee.

Speaking to The Indian Express on the phone from Mumbai, Lt Col Purohit said, “I am choosing not to talk specifics about the past 17 years and the case. But I want to say that I am thankful to the judiciary and to all my lawyers.

“All the lawyers fought pro bono for me, including the young lawyers. I am grateful to my lawyers, including late advocate Shrikant Shivade, Sadanand Phadke, senior counsel Harish Salve and Mukul Rohatgi, and my young lawyers Viral Babar and Yasir Khan. They have put in their blood and sweat in this,” he said.

An National Investigation Agency special court on Thursday acquitted Lt Col Purohit, BJP leader and former MP Pragya Singh Thakur, Major Ramesh Upadhyay (retired), Sameer Kulkarni, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, and Sudhakar Dhar Dwivedi in the case related to the September 29, 2008, blast that killed six people and injured 100 in Malegaon.

The court held that the prosecution failed to provide cogent and reliable evidence and to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Lt Col Purohit further said, “When wrong people rise to the position of power, national institutions get contaminated. Then the nation suffers, people like us suffer, and the common man suffers. And healthy organisations like the Army also suffer. When we suffer, the adversary gets the benefit…”

“I am extremely grateful to my motherland for having given me the opportunity to serve her. And now I am extremely grateful to the judiciary because I will again be able to serve my nation as a free man and an Army officer. I am also a believer in service beyond my service in uniform. So whenever I retire, I will keep serving my motherland,” he added.

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“The Army has always supported me. Right from sepoys to generals, everyone has extended their affection, love and care to me. I never got a feeling that I was not being looked after. The Intelligence Corps and my parent regiment, Maratha Light Infantry, have taken care of me like a child in the family.”

His wife Aparna Purohit told The Indian Express, “I can only say that I am relieved. I guess I will take some more time to gather my thoughts.”

Lt Col Purohit has been posted with an Army formation in Mumbai since he was granted bail by the Supreme Court in the case in 2017. When the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad arrested him after the blast, Lt Col Purohit was stationed at Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh, undergoing training in the Arabic language at the Army Education Corps Training College and Centre. He was then attached to a liaison unit of the Army’s Military Intelligence.

Ramesh Upadhyay, from Army to Hindu Mahasabha to JD(U)

Major Ramesh Upadhyay (retired), the other acquitted Malegaon blast accused with an Army background, thanked the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, besides his lawyers.

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“I am grateful to my lawyers and all those who supported me in the difficult times. Balasaheb Thackeray stood by us. All allegations against me are proved false,” said Upadhyay, 73, while speaking to The Indian Express.

Now residing in Pune, Upadhyay is a native of Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh. The ATS arrested him in the case in 2008, and he got bail in 2017.

Upadhyay contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 in Ballia as an independent candidate. Earlier, he contested the UP Assembly elections from Bairia in Ballia district on a Hindu Mahasabha ticket in 2012 with permission from the court.

In 2020, he joined the Janta Dal (United), headed by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The JD (U) then appointed Upadhyay as the state convener for its ex-servicemen cell in UP.

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“I have left politics now. I would spend my life in social work,” he said on Thursday.

‘Finally, I got justice’: Hindutva activist Sameer Kulkarni

Sameer Kulkarni, a Hindutva activist from Pune, said he lost valuable years of his life after being arrested in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, but was happy that finally justice had been delivered after the special NIA court acquitted him in the case. He had been out on bail since 2019.

Kulkarni was a resident of the Pimpri-Chinchwad area. He was known to be a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in the past. Investigators alleged that he was an active member of the secretive Abhinav Bharat outfit and was involved in the bomb blast conspiracy.

But, in a press conference in Pune in April 2019, Kulkarni claimed that he had heard about the Malegaon blasts only after the ATS detained him. He further claimed that then ATS chief Hemant Karkare believed he was innocent and would have removed his name from the case, but was killed in the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

Sushant Kulkarni

Sushant Kulkarni is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express in Pune with 12+ years of experience covering issues related to Crime, Defence, Internal Security and Courts. He has been associated with the Indian Express since July 2010. Sushant has extensively reported on law and order issues of Pune and surrounding area, Cyber crime, narcotics trade and terrorism. His coverage in the Defence beat includes operational aspects of the three services, the defence research and development and issues related to key defence establishments. He has covered several sensitive cases in the courts at Pune. Sushant is an avid photographer, plays harmonica and loves cooking. ... Read More

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