Victims of the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast have formally requested the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court to extend the tenure of the special NIA judge overseeing the trial, citing concerns that his potential transfer could significantly delay proceedings. The special judge, A K Lahoti, who has been presiding over this high-profile case at the city civil and sessions court in Mumbai since June 2022, is approaching the end of his three-year tenure.
In a letter facilitated by advocate Shahid Nadeem, the victims expressed apprehension about the impending annual general transfers which might relocate Judge Lahoti before the trial concludes. “The case is a matter of grave public importance and extremely voluminous in nature,” the letter stated, emphasizing the urgency and complexity of the situation. The victims are worried that a new presiding officer would need considerable time to familiarize themselves with the massive charge sheet and exhibited documents, thus stalling the progress of the trial.
The trial, which began in 2018 after the special NIA court framed charges against individuals including Lt Col Prasad Purohit and the then BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, is now in its final stages. The court has already examined 323 witnesses with the defense bringing forward eight witnesses. Currently, the court is recording the final statements of the accused.
The letter highlights the victims’ desperation for justice, stating, “The hapless victims of the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case wish to seek your intervention and pray before your authority to extend the tenure or retain the special judge till the end of the trial.” The victims fear that any disruption in the continuity of the judiciary could further delay their long-awaited justice.
