Bombay High Court Discharges Four Accused in 2006 Malegaon Blasts Case
In a significant development, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday discharged four individuals accused in the 2006 Malegaon blasts case. The court set aside a trial court order that had framed 19 charges against them, including serious terror offences under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Court Cites Contradictory Evidence in Probe
In their detailed order, Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice S C Chandak observed that "diagonally opposite stories in the chargesheet filed by ATS and NIA lead nowhere." This pointed criticism highlighted fundamental inconsistencies between the investigations conducted by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Background of the 2006 Malegaon Blasts
The tragic incident occurred on September 8, 2006, when four bombs exploded in Malegaon at approximately 1:50 PM. Three explosions took place in the compound of Hamidiya Masjid and Bada Kabrastan, while the fourth detonated at Mushawart Chowk. The blasts claimed 31 lives and left 312 people injured, marking one of the most devastating terrorist attacks in Maharashtra's history.
Legal Proceedings and Appeals
Nineteen years after the blasts, a special trial court in Mumbai had framed 19 charges against the four accused. The framing of charges represents the final pre-trial step in criminal proceedings. All four accused pleaded "not guilty" before the trial court and promptly appealed against the charge-framing order before the High Court.
In January 2026, the Bombay High Court stayed the trial proceedings. The recent ruling now means the four accused—Manohar Narwaria, Rajendra Chaudhary, Dhan Singh, and Lokesh Sharma—have no trial to face following their successful appeal, according to their legal representatives.
Investigation History and Agency Transfers
The investigation into the 2006 Malegaon blasts has seen multiple agency transfers over the years. Initially, the Maharashtra ATS handled the probe and arrested nine Muslim individuals. In 2007, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the investigation, only to be replaced by the NIA in 2011.
The NIA subsequently arrested the four Hindu accused in 2012-2013. A decade earlier, in 2016, an NIA trial court had dropped the case against the initial nine accused due to insufficient evidence.
Key Arguments in the Appeals
The appeals were presented through two separate petitions, argued by senior counsel Girish Kulkarni and advocate Kaushik Mhatre. The defense contended that:
- The NIA lacked substantial evidence against the accused
- The primary basis for their arrest was the confession of Swami Aseemanand, which had been rejected by trial courts in Hyderabad and Ajmer as "coerced" and "inadmissible"
- The NIA presented only three circumstances: discovery of the blast site (already known from ATS probe), alleged purchase of two bicycles without witnesses or proof of use, and an identification parade conducted after 6.5 years that couldn't be considered cogent proof
Two of the accused were arrested in Madhya Pradesh, while the other two were taken into custody from Ambala Central Jail where they were detained in connection with the Samjhauta Express blast case.
Prosecution's Position and Forensic Evidence
Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh opposed the appeals on behalf of the NIA. The agency argued that soil samples collected from an alleged training camp had tested positive for RDX, a military-grade explosive. However, the defense countered that these samples were lifted seven years after the alleged training camp activities.
Special Public Prosecutor Kuldeep Patil appeared for the CBI. When questioned by the High Court about whether the CBI had appealed against the discharge of the earlier nine accused, Patil confirmed that no such appeal had been filed.
Broader Legal Context
The Bombay High Court had previously granted bail to the four accused, observing that the NIA probe had failed to collect evidence showing any incriminating recovery from them. This recent discharge follows another significant ruling from last July, when a special trial court acquitted all seven accused in the separate 2008 Malegaon blast case.
Currently, three other individuals remain named as absconding or wanted accused in the 2006 case, against whom the NIA has not filed a chargesheet.
