High Court halts Malegaon blast trial:Stays trial, questions evidence based on Aseemanand statement; 4 accused get relief

The Bombay High Court has issued an important order in the 2006 Malegaon blast case, staying the ongoing proceedings in the lower court (special court) on Wednesday during the hearing. The decision has brought major relief to Lokesh Sharma of Mhow, Rajendra Chaudhary of Depalpur, along with Dhan Singh and Manohar Narwaria. The court order has also added clarity that the stay applies specifically to proceedings in the special court, putting the trial process on hold for now. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had filed a chargesheet against Lokesh, Rajendra and the late Sunil Joshi, along with others. The main basis of the investigation was Swami Aseemanand’s 2010 statement, in which he had claimed that “six boys” were involved in the blast. However, he later withdrew the statement, saying it was given under pressure. The court record also notes that this statement was allegedly taken under coercion, and had already been disbelieved or rejected in other judicial proceedings. During the hearing, defence lawyer Kaushik Mhatre argued in court that there was no eyewitness in the case. He further submitted that charges cannot be framed on the basis of a statement which has already been rejected by other courts. Accepting these arguments, the High Court stayed the trial proceedings. 6 Years in Jail, Then Bail Lokesh Sharma and Rajendra Chaudhary were arrested in 2013 and remained in jail for around six years. While granting them bail in 2019, the High Court had also observed that keeping them in custody for such a long period without completion of trial was not justified. The 2006 blasts had shaken the country On 8 September 2006, serial blasts at Hamidia Mosque, a cemetery complex and Musafir Chowk in Malegaon, Maharashtra killed 31 people and injured more than 300. In the initial investigation, ATS had arrested nine Muslim youths, who were later acquitted in 2016 due to lack of evidence. The case was later handed over to the CBI and then to the NIA. Charges were framed in 2025 In September 2025, the special court framed charges against the four accused, which they challenged in the High Court. In January 2026, while hearing the petition, the High Court stayed the trial proceedings. In its investigation, the NIA had claimed that individuals linked to a right-wing ideology were involved in the blasts. On this basis, Lokesh Sharma, Rajendra Chaudhary, Dhan Singh and Manohar Narwaria from the Indore division were named as accused. The accused had challenged the framing of charges in the High Court in September 2025, after which the court has now put the ongoing trial on hold in January 2026, granting significant relief in this long legal battle.