Lt Col Shrikant Purohit (File photo)
NEW DELHI: Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit, who was acquitted last year in the Malegaon blast case, has been cleared for promotion to the rank of brigadier, sources said on Friday. In July 2025, an NIA court acquitted Purohit and six others, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, in the case.Purohit had moved the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) following his acquittal, claiming that his career progression had been “adversely affected” by the prolonged trial. He argued that delays in the judicial process denied him a fair opportunity for promotion within the Army hierarchy.Also Read: Who is Lt Col. Prasad Purohit? The army officer who faced terror charges and walked free after court’s acquittalLast month, the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) stayed his retirement, which was due on March 31, while hearing his plea seeking promotion and related service benefits. The tribunal directed the Ministry of Defence to keep his retirement on hold until a decision is taken on his statutory complaint.At the time of his arrest in November 2008, Purohit was serving as a lieutenant colonel in military intelligence — marking the first instance of a serving Army officer being implicated in a terrorism-related case in the country.He spent nearly nine years in custody before being granted bail by the Supreme Court in September 2017.
Malegaon blast
The blast occurred on September 29, 2008, when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in the Bhikku Chowk area of Malegaon in Maharashtra, killing six people and injuring 95 others.Originally, 11 people were accused in the case; however, the court ultimately framed charges against seven.The case was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2011 from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). Investigators examined hundreds of witnesses over nearly 17 years before all the accused were acquitted of charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Arms Act, and other provisions.Those acquitted alongside Purohit and Thakur were Major (retd) Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhankar Dhar Dwivedi (Shankaracharya), and Sameer Kulkarni.(With ANI inputs)
