The Maharashtra government is under scrutiny for its perceived inconsistent approach to the Malegaon blast case and the 7/11 Mumbai serial blasts. Following court verdicts that acquitted the accused in both cases due to insufficient evidence, the government appealed to the Supreme Court in the serial blasts matter. However, the government has taken no similar action in the Malegaon case, prompting allegations of double standards. Information obtained via an RTI request from the Maharashtra government’s Department of Law and Justice disclosed that the government will not appeal against the acquittal of seven accused, including former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Colonel Purohit, in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast. This blast resulted in six deaths and approximately 100 injuries. On the other hand, the state government filed an appeal in the Supreme Court on July 22 against the Bombay High Court’s decision to acquit the accused in the 7/11 Mumbai local train serial blasts, with the Supreme Court issuing a stay on the High Court’s ruling on July 24. The Bombay High Court had acquitted all accused in the 7/11 2006 Mumbai serial blasts due to insufficient evidence, a tragedy that resulted in over 100 fatalities and over 800 injuries. The opposition is strongly criticizing the government, accusing it of exhibiting ‘double standards’ in these critical cases and thereby interfering with the justice system. This situation could escalate political tensions, especially since the government has not yet commented on the Malegaon blast case, while it quickly pursued an appeal in the serial blasts matter. The Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta, represented the government in the Supreme Court, where the court clarified that its decision in the serial blasts case should not set a precedent.
