"Affected will appeal," says Congress's Kamal Nath on Malegaon blast case verdict

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], July 31 (ANI): After the NIA court acquitted all the accused in the 2008 Malegaon Blast case, senior Congress leader Kamal Nath on Thursday stated that those affected will likely "appeal the decision".
He further added that while the BJP may express its views, the court's decision can be appealed.
Speaking to the reporters, Nath said, "Whoever is affected will appeal it... BJP may say whatever it wants, but it is a court's decision, and it is appealable. They will definitely re-appeal..."
A total of 7 people were accused, including former MP Sadhvi Pragya, Major (retired) Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhankar Dhar Dwivedi (Shankaracharya) and Sameer Kulkarni.
The court had examined 323 prosecution witnesses and 8 defence witnesses before pronouncing the verdict. The 7 people have been acquitted of all charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms act and all other charges.
Earlier in the day, Former MP Sadhvi Pragya, who was acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, expressed happiness over the Mumbai NIA special court's verdict, stating that "Bhagwa and Hindutva have won", emphasising that the real culprits in the blasts that killed six people and injured 95 others will be punished.
Speaking at the Court, Pragya said, "Bhagwa was defamed by them through a conspiracy, today Bhagwa has won and Hindutva has won, and those who are guilty will be punished by God. But those who defamed India and Bhagwa both have not been proved wrong by you. I thank you, sir (to Judge Abhay Lohati),".
Pragya openly wept after the verdict. "I said from the very beginning that those who are called for investigation, there should be a basis behind that. I was called by them for investigation and was arrested and tortured. This ruined my whole life. I was living a sage's life, but I was made and accused, and no one was willingly standing beside us. I am alive because I am a sanyasi, I am living my life with dying every day," she added.
The 2008 Malegaon blast case was transferred to the NIA in 2011 from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). After a 17-year-long wait, examination of hundreds of witnesses, the NIA special court on Thursday acquitted all seven people accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act and all other charges.
Meanwhile, Security had been heightened around the NIA court before the verdict. Visuals from the Mumbai Special NIA court showed people standing outside, awaiting the court's verdict. Notably, the witnesses had also come to the court to watch the announcement.
On September 29 2008, six people were killed and 95 others injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon City's Bhikku Chowk. Originally, 11 people were accused in the case; however, the court ultimately framed charges against 7, including former MP Sadhvi Pragya. (ANI)