Malegaon: A Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court is expected to deliver its verdict in the 2008 Malegaon blast case on July 31.  

The court had reserved its judgment on April 19, after completing hearings and final arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.

The court stated that the hearing concluded in April, but given the voluminous nature of the case -- comprising over one lakh pages of evidence and documentation -- additional time is required to go through all records before pronouncing the verdict.

All the accused in the case have been directed to remain present in court on the day of the verdict. The court has also cautioned that action will be initiated against any accused found absent on that day.

A total of seven individuals are facing trial in the case, including Lt Col Prasad Purohit, former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, and retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay.

They have been charged under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The blast occurred on September 29, 2008, in Malegaon, a communally sensitive town in Maharashtra, during the holy month of Ramzan and just ahead of Navratri. The explosion claimed six lives and left over 100 people injured.

During the course of the trial, which spanned over a decade, the prosecution examined 323 witnesses, of whom 34 turned hostile.

Initially, the case was investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). However, in 2011, the probe was handed over to the NIA.

In 2016, the NIA filed a charge sheet that gave a clean chit to Pragya Singh Thakur and a few other accused, citing a lack of sufficient evidence against them.

The verdict, coming nearly 17 years after the incident, is keenly awaited and is expected to have significant legal and political ramifications. (IANS)