After acquittal in Malegaon case, Lt Col Prasad Purohit promoted to Colonel

Pictures of Purohit’s pipping ceremony surfaced on social media. He was commissioned into the Maratha Light Infantry in 1994 and participated in counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir and military intelligence.

At the time of his arrest by the Maharashtra ATS in 2008, he was pursuing Arabic at the Army Education Centre in Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh.

In 2011, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the probe. In its supplementary chargesheet, the central agency submitted there is prima facie evidence against him to put him on trial. All seven persons faced charges, including murder and criminal conspiracy, and sections of the UAPA in connection with the blast which left six dead and nearly 100 injured.

The ATS had claimed Purohit’s role in founding the Abhinav Bharat organisation in 2006 was against Army rules and through it funds were allegedly collected and conspiracy planned. It had also alleged that he had participated in conspiracy meetings and given speeches on the need to execute the plan.

Denying all the allegations, Purohit had said that the ATS had arrested him without proof. He had also claimed he had joined Abhinav Bharat to gather sources and collect intelligence, as he was then posted with the military intelligence.

In his judgment, Special Judge A K Lahoti had said there was no proof that Abhinav Bharat funds were used for any terror activities or that it was banned for any unlawful activities.

The court had, however, said, “There is no documentary evidence on record to show that his superior authority had granted him express permission to join the said trust as a member/ trustee and to collect the funds or utilise the funds. He has not pointed out any documents in that regard.”

The court has also noted that after his arrest, no steps were taken by the Army to “protect their officer” and said that if “he would have really discharged the duty under the colour of his office”, there would have been protection to him.

“Their own inaction shows that they might have noticed the action taken by ATS was proper, as their senior officers had also not shown any interest to protect their own officer considering the allegations and charges levelled. It shows they had accepted the fact of arrest at the hands of ATS was proper at the relevant time,” the court had said.

On the allegation of conspiracy meetings against Purohit and others, the court had said there was no evidence provided by the NIA and that the testimonies of witnesses were “riddled with material inconsistencies”.

The Bombay High Court recently issued notices to the NIA and the acquitted persons after hearing an appeal filed by relatives of the blast victims challenging the special court’s verdict.