Maharashtra Samajwadi Party chief Abu Azmi criticises Lt Col Purohit's promotion to Brigadier rank

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 11 : Maharashtra Samajwadi Party President Abu Asim Azmi has criticised the move to promote Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit to the rank of Brigadier, raising questions over his acquittal in the 2008 Malegaon blast case.

The Indian Army has cleared Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit for promotion to the rank of Brigadier, sources said. He was among the seven accused acquitted in the Malegaon blast case on July 31, 2025.

Speaking toon Friday, Abu Azmi questioned the Centre for not filing an appeal in a higher court against the acquittal.

The Samajwadi Party leader said, "The government holds a majority, yet the country's governance must be conducted strictly in accordance with the Constitution. In the case involving Colonel Purohit and others, even the public prosecutor admitted that there was pressure to adopt a lenient stance towards them. Several witnesses retracted their statements, yet no strict action was taken; consequently, all the accused were acquitted."

"However, in the train blast case, in which 187 lives were lost, the government filed an appeal immediately after the accused were acquitted. Why was an appeal not filed in this case? This raises a pertinent question: Will this country be governed according to the Constitution, or based on arbitrary whims?" he added.

Lt Col Purohit's promotion came after the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) stayed his retirement, which was due on March 31, 2026, while hearing his plea seeking promotion and related service benefits. The tribunal had issued notice to the Ministry of Defence and directed that his retirement remain on hold until a decision is taken on his statutory complaint.

Purohit had approached the tribunal claiming that his career progression had been adversely affected due to the prolonged trial in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, in which he was an accused before being acquitted. He argued that the delay in the judicial process denied him a fair opportunity for promotion within the Army hierarchy.

The Mumbai NIA court on July 31 had acquitted Purohit and six others in the Malegaon blast case, observing that the prosecution failed to establish the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. The verdict came after years of investigation and trial proceedings.

Originally, 11 people were accused in the case; however, the court ultimately framed charges against seven. The other six who were acquitted alongside Purohit included former MP Sadhvi Pragya, Major (retired) Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhankar Dhar Dwivedi (Shankaracharya) and Sameer Kulkarni.

The Malegaon blast incident occurred on September 29, 2008, when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in the Bhikku Chowk area of Malegaon city in Maharashtra, killing six people and injuring 95 others.

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