NEW DELHI: A court in Nanded, central Maharashtra, on Saturday acquitted all nine surviving accused in a 2006 explosion case, with a defense lawyer stating that the prosecution failed to prove the incident was a bomb blast.
The detailed judgment is yet to be released. Out of the 12 accused in the case, two died in the explosion, and one passed away during the trial.
Earlier on Saturday, District and Additional Sessions Judge C V Marathe acquitted the remaining nine accused, according to news agency PTI.
An explosion occurred between April 4 and April 5, 2006, at the residence of Laxman Rajkondwar, reportedly associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, in Nanded city.
Investigators claimed that Rajkondwar’s son, Naresh Rajkondwar, and Vishva Hindu Parishad activist Himanshu Panse were killed while allegedly assembling explosive device.
Initially investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation. Defence lawyer Nitin Runwal stated that 49 prosecution witnesses provided testimony during the trial.
The prosecution was unable to prove that the incident was a “bomb blast” rather than an explosion caused by a gas cylinder or another inflammable object, the defense lawyer told PTI.
