Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday observed that it was “not an open gate for everyone” to file an appeal against the acquittal of the accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. The bench, headed by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad, was hearing an appeal by the families of six people who died in the blast.
The appeal challenges the acquittal of seven accused, including BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in July. The petitioners argue that the lower court’s order was flawed, contending that lapses in investigation should not justify acquittal and that conspiracies of this nature are often conducted in secrecy, making direct evidence unlikely.
During the hearing, the bench questioned whether family members of the victims had been examined as witnesses in the trial. The petitioners’ lawyer informed the court that Nisar Ahmed, whose son was killed in the blast, was not a witness but promised to provide full details by Wednesday.
The judges stated that if the victims’ families were directly affected, their testimony should have been considered during the trial. “You have to indicate whether they were witnesses or not. Give us details. This is not an open gate for everyone,” the bench remarked.
The court has posted the matter for further hearing on Wednesday.
