Indian Army clears Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit for Brigadier rank after AFT relief
The Indian Army has approved Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit's promotion to Brigadier following an Armed Forces Tribunal stay on his retirement.
The Indian Army has cleared Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit for promotion to the rank of Brigadier, sources told ANI on Friday. The move follows a decision by the Armed Forces Tribunal to stay his retirement, which had been scheduled for March 31, 2026.
The tribunal took this step while hearing his petition seeking promotion and related service benefits. It also issued a notice to the Ministry of Defence and directed that his retirement be put on hold until a final decision is made on his statutory complaint.
Purohit had approached the tribunal claiming that his career progression had been adversely affected due to the prolonged trial in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, in which he was an accused before being acquitted. He argued that the delay in the judicial process denied him a fair opportunity for promotion within the Army hierarchy, ANI reported.
The Mumbai NIA court on July 31 had acquitted Purohit and six others in the Malegaon blast case, observing that the prosecution failed to establish the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. The verdict came after years of investigation and trial proceedings.
Originally, 11 people were accused in the case; however, the court ultimately framed charges against seven.
The other six who were acquitted alongside Purohit included former MP Sadhvi Pragya, Major (retired) Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhankar Dhar Dwivedi (Shankaracharya) and Sameer Kulkarni. The Malegaon blast took place on September 29, 2008, when a bomb attached to a motorcycle exploded near a mosque in the Bhikku Chowk area of Malegaon, resulting in six deaths and injuring 95 people, ANI reported.
In 2011, the investigation was transferred from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad to the National Investigation Agency. Over the next several years, authorities conducted extensive probes and examined hundreds of witnesses, and after nearly 17 years, all the accused were acquitted of charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Arms Act, and other related offences.
(With inputs from ANI)
About the Author
Mausam Jha is a journalist who focuses on world affairs and politics. She provides clear, informative reporting with a good understanding of both global events and their local impact. <br><br> Her clear, accessible reporting on political and international issues makes her a trusted source of news and analysis. <br><br> For the past three years, Mausam has worked with Mint, covering national politics, IR—including elections—and global affairs.<br> Before joining her current role, she gained experience working with The Statesman, ANI, and Financial Express, where she honed her skills in political and international news. <br><br> She has consistently tracked key electoral battles, including US elections, Japan elections, policy debates, and strategic affairs, explaining how global currents, from great power competition to regional conflicts <br><br> Beyond journalism, Mausam has a deep engagement with international relations, diplomacy, war studies, terrorism, political history, and political theory. She is particularly interested in the intersection of statecraft and society on how governance, ideology, and institutions shape lived realities, and how politics shape today's world order. <br><br> An avid reader of classical literature and political thought, she constantly explores the connections between historical ideas and contemporary policy challenges.
Wait for it…
Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.