Malegaon blast case: Right-wing outfit celebrates outside Lt Col Purohit's Pune house

Pune, Jul 31 (PTI) A right-wing outfit celebrated the acquittal of all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case on Thursday by bursting crackers in Pune and asserting the Congress' propaganda of "saffron terror" had been stopped by the verdict.

Nearly 17 years after a blast in Malegaon town of north Maharashtra claimed six lives, a special court in Mumbai on Thursday acquitted all the seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, noting there was "no reliable and cogent evidence" against them.

Terrorism has no religion, the court said, adding it cannot convict on mere perception.

An explosive device strapped to a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Malegaon town, located about 200 km from Mumbai, on September 29, 2008 killing six persons and injuring 101 others.

Members of the Patit Pawan Sanghatana displayed congratulatory banners and burst crackers outside the home of Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit on Law College Road here and distributed sweets.

"The Congress government propagated the term 'Bhagwa Atankwad' (saffron terror), but the court, while acquitting all the accused on Thursday, put a full stop to that narrative," said Swapnil Naik, a member of the outfit.

"The court has underscored that a Hindu can never be a terrorist. Once he (Lt Col Puroht) returns to Pune, we will accord him a grand welcome," Naik added.

The residence of Purohit was empty as his kin were in Mumbai. PTI SPK BNM