‘How did my son die if no one planned the blasts?’: 19 years later, Malegaon victims still waiting for justice | Mumbai News & more related news here

On Wednesday, nearly two decades after the Malegaon blast, the Bombay High Court quashed a special court order that had framed charges against the four men who were the last remaining accused in the case. The decision came following appeals filed against the trial court’s decision to charge Manohar Narwaria, Rajendra Chaudhary, Dhan Singh and Lokesh Sharma on September 30, 2025 for murder and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code along with the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, paving the way for the trial.

For victims of the explosion, like Shafique’s family, the event is another blow to their already weakened faith. This follows the release of nine other people in 2016, meaning that even after almost 20 years, there are no clear answers in the case.

Sajid and Shahbaz were on their way with Shafique to visit their grandfather’s grave in Bada Kabrastan when one of the explosions occurred around 1.50 pm. Shafique was also injured, but survived.

In 2021 he filed an appeal for intervention before the court of first instance, seeking to be heard. The reason was partially admitted.

But now that the HC has released the four suspects, Shafique questions the lengthy judicial process. “My son was walking with me that day. If no one caused the explosions, how did he and the 30 others die?” -Shafique asked. “How is it possible that the culprits of such a big incident are not prosecuted even after 20 years? First, another group of people were arrested. Then, a new agency said that these men were responsible. Now, they too are acquitted of the charges. What message does this give to those involved in terrorism cases?”

The blast site at Mushawarat Chowk in Malegoan. (Express photo by: Prashant Nadkar/File)

It’s a question that haunts Mohammed Arif, a 54-year-old paan shop owner, who lost his eight-year-old son, Aamir, in the blast. Aamir was playing with the neighborhood children at the time; three of them lost their lives.

Aamir lived in Mumbai with his aunt and was just visiting when he died. “He had returned to Malegaon just a night before. He studied in a school in Mumbai. I wish he hadn’t been visiting.”

After the HC ruling, Arif has only one question: “Will justice ever be done? We have to accept what the court has said, but how and where do we seek justice now?”

The Bombay HC ruling comes a year after seven people, including former MP Pragya Thakur, were acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, which killed six people and injured 100. While reading its order in July last year, a special court in Mumbai observed that there were strong suspicions but not enough evidence to convict them.

For the city, the order means that neither in the 2006 nor in 2008 explosion cases have any perpetrators been convicted. The victims and their representatives hope that the latest order will be appealed. “The ATS immediately filed an appeal when the nine men were released in 2016. We hope the government will also appeal this order,” said lawyer Hamdani Irfana, who represented the victims through legal aid NGO Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind.