2008 western India bombings

On 29 September 2008 three bombs exploded in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra of India killing 6 people and injuring over 100.^[1] Two bombs went off in Malegaon, Maharashtra, which killed nine people while another blast in Modasa, Gujarat resulted in the death of one person.

2008 western India bombings

Date	29 September 2008 (2008-09-29)
Location	India
Deaths	6
Non-fatal injuries	101

As of 24 April 2025, NIA has found 7 culprits, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, and demanded punishment under Section 16 (a) of UAPA. The punishment for such is either imprisonment for life and fine OR the death penalty. ^[2] In July 2025, NIA acquitted all the suspects stating lack of evidence, however, the acquittal has been challenged by the victims in the High Court.

Background

India witnessed a surge in terror attacks since May 2008, when a series of blasts in Jaipur killed 63.^[3] Since then, other major Indian cities including Bangalore,^[4] Ahmedabad^[5] and Delhi were targeted. On 29 September 2008, police in Ahmedabad, Gujarat foiled another terror attack when 17 bombs were found and defused.^[6] However, a bomb exploded at a market packed with Muslims breaking their Ramadan fast, killing one and wounding 15.^[7]

Another bomb placed near a Temple in Faridabad was found and defused.^[8] Furthermore, the bombs were purportedly similar to those that exploded in Delhi two days before this attack.^[9]

The explosions in Malegaon and Modasa occurred on the eve of Navratri, a major Hindu festival celebrated across India.^[10]

Blast

The Malegoan blast occurred near a hotel at Bhikku Chowk, Maharashtra. The bombs were allegedly fitted onto a Hero Honda motorcycle and rigged to detonate.^{[11] [12]}

The Modasa blasts, resulting in the death of a 15-year-old boy as well as injuries to several others, was the result of a motorcycle bomb that detonated near a mosque at the Muslim-dominated Sukka Bazaar. The incident took place around 21:26 when special Ramadan prayers (tarawih) were being offered inside the mosque.^[13]

Aftermath

IBN reported that after the blast a mob of 20,000 Muslims gathered near the blast site, following which the state of Maharashtra deployed Reserve Police Force to prevent any mob violence.^[14] The police brought the situation under control after a brief clash with the mob.^[11] Gujarat announced plans to deploy police in heavy numbers during the garba festivities.^[15]

Investigation

Mumbai Police deployed Anti Terrorism Squad to assist the local investigating authorities in Malegaon.^[16] Police say that unsophisticated, crude bombs, identical to those that detonated in Delhi 3 days before, were used.^[10] The investigation was led by Mumbai Anti Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare, who was later killed in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Police across India, especially in Delhi, received a number of hoax calls and SMSes, hampering the investigation.^[17] On 5 October, police said they had arrested a man in connection to the bombings. Press Trust of India reported that further investigations were under way, with more arrests expected.^[18]

Malegaon blasts

Initial ATS Investigation under Hemant Karkare

ATS arrested several suspects, including Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit, alleging their links to a Hindutva outfit called Abhinav Bharat. Rarely seen as a terror case involving Hindu extremist groups, the investigation sparked the conception of the controversial "saffron terror" narrative.^[19]

Procedural Lapses & Allegations of Abuse

The court later observed numerous investigative flaws: The bike’s chassis/engine numbers were tampered with; forensic links to it were inconclusive. Crime scene contamination occurred due to mob violence, and no DNA or ballistic evidence was collected under proper procedure.Police used phone taps and voice samples without statutory authorisation; electronic devices were not sealed properly, violating custodial rules. ^[20]Narco-analysis reports and other scientific tests favorable to the accused were deliberately withheld from the chargesheet—found to be a major procedural failure^[21]

Evidence of Coerced Confessions and Witness Retractions

Testimony revealed that many witnesses, including Milind Joshirao, were allegedly tortured, threatened, or illegally detained until they named RSS figures like Yogi Adityanath and others. The court accepted that these statements were recorded under coercion and acknowledged thousands of witness statements turning hostile, undermining the prosecution’s credibility.^[22]

Takes Over & Investigates the ATS Narrative

In April 2011, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) assumed control of the case and in 2016 filed a supplementary chargesheet, dropping MCOCA charges and diverging significantly from the ATS narrative. NIA highlighted that confessions and many prosecutions under ATS were based on coerced statements and lacked corroboration. ^[23]

Court Trial & Witness Examination

From 2018 to November 2023, the court heard from 323 prosecution witnesses, of whom over 37 turned hostile. Final arguments concluded in April 2025. ^[24]

Final Verdict (July 31, 2025)

The Special NIA Court acquitted all seven accused, including Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and Lt. Col. Purohit, stating the prosecution failed to prove conspiracy beyond reasonable doubt. The court expressed deep concern over ATS misconduct: missing original documents, chain-of-custody violations, planting of evidence, and use of coercion during interrogations. ^[25] Notably, ATS officers were recommended for inquiry due to suspicions of planting explosive traces (RDX) at accused’s residences.^[26] The judge emphasised: “Suspicion cannot replace legal proof,” making clear that convictions require proper, reliable, and admissible evidence.

Aftermath

Acquitted accused like Sameer Kulkarni accused the ATS of manipulation, political conspiracy, and targeting Hindus unjustly during the Congress regime. Former ATS officer Mehboob Mujawar claimed he had been ordered to falsely implicate figures like RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat —a claim dismissed by the court due to being recorded under Section 313 and lacking corroboration. His statement was legally inadmissible, though it did not directly evaluate the truth of those claims.^[27]

Modasa blasts

Union Textiles Minister, Shankersinh Vaghela, came out with an allegedly scathing attack on the Gujarat government by saying it was not willing to nab the "real" culprits behind the blast even though the Congress MP from Sabarkantha, Madhusudan Mistry, had pointed a finger at probable suspects. He made the claim that the Gujarat Police had proved itself "useless" while it was heavily politicised in acting only on the orders issued by the Chief Minister's Office. He based this on the lack of arrests in Modesa, Gujarat, while Maharashtra police had already made arrests in the Malegaon case. With the connection to Hindu suspects in Malegaon, he said he too suspected a similar hand in these blasts. He further alleged, "This proves that terror knows no religion and that it was a matter of concern that so far it was only one-sided trend of targeting one community for suspicion and questioning."^[28]

In Gujarat, the Deputy Superintendent of Police, K.K. Mysorewala, who is heading the probe into the attack, said: "We have summoned some active ABVP members to record their statements to take our probe forward." He, however, refused to name those who have been summoned and the reason behind doing so. The Sabarkantha police have recorded statements from about 500-odd people until 28 October 2008.^[13] On 31 October, he exonerated the Malegoan accused from involvement in the Gujarat blasts. He said, "We have interrogated all the five who are currently in the custody of Mumbai police in connection with the Malegaon blast. None of them, however, are involved in the Modasa blast."^[29]

On 7 November, it was reported that clues may be emerging. The origin of a readymade Printed Circuit Board (PCB) used in the timer circuit of the bomb may yield greater clues and lead to arrests. Unlike assembled PCBs, the manufacture of a readymade PCB can be tracked with the help of its specific manufacturing design and serial number. Experts in the Physics Department of the Directorate of Forensic Sciences (DFS) in the Gujarat capital of Gandhinagar say the readymade PCB consists of two Philips Integrated Circuits (ICs), and some capacitors and resistors mounted on a circuit board in a particular order.

An expert involved with the case said that as a result of such moves "We have short-listed the names of some companies that manufacture PCBs of these types. The list had also been handed over to the Sabarkantha police and they are trying to track the final recipient of the PCB under examination. Though this can be a difficult task, it is not impossible."^{[30][31][32][33]}

See also

• List of terrorist incidents in 2008
• Saffron terror