In Malegaon, located roughly around 275 km from Mumbai, residents wait in anticipation. A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai is set to deliver the judgment in the 2008 Malegaon blast case today.The Bhikku chowk blast was the second in quick succession in two years when residents were killed. Earlier, on Sept 8, 2006, four RDX bombs went off killing 31 and injuring 297 others. The Maharashtra ATS had arrested several Malegaon boys. Later, they had been discharged from the case and the NIA arrested another set of accused persons belonging to a right-wing organisation.A Malegaon resident said though it was an old case, the verdict is keenly awaited. “For the last couple of days journalists from the national news channels and newspapers have been making the rounds of Malegaon and talking to people,” he said. Maulana Abdul Qayyum, President of Jamiat-ul-Ulema (Nashik), hoped the perpetrators would be punished. “People in Malegaon want justice. Late Hemant Karkare did a fair investigation. We have faith in the judiciary that it will do justice,” said Qayyum, adding, “The families of those martyred in the bomb blast have been waiting for justice for many many years.” Advocate Irfana Hamdani from Malegaon, who has been closely following the developments, said, “There was electronic evidence, video in the laptop of accused Swami Dayanand Pandey about the meetings, blast, planning etc. Some witnesses turned hostile, but how can the court deny or reject documentary evidence in the chargesheet. Lt Col Prasad Purohit had taken the stand that he attended meetings as was deployed to gather intelligence. If so, did he inform his superiors and try to prevent the blast? The accused should be punished, the NIA had prayed in court for a death sentence.”