Army promotes Col Purohit to Brigadier rank after AFT relief, acquittal in Malegaon case

NEW DELHI: Indian Army has cleared Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit’s promotion to the rank of Brigadier following his acquittal in Malegaon blast case and his plea before the armed forces tribunal (AFT) that he should not be retired before his request for promotion is reviewed.

“The order to promote Col Purohit to the rank of Brigadier came on Thursday,” sources in the armed forces confirmed to TOI.

The decision comes weeks after an armed forces tribunal halted Purohit’s scheduled retirement on March 31, 2026, allowing his pending promotion request to be reviewed first. Invoking the jurisdiction of the tribunal under Section 14 of Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007, the applicant had contended that he was denied promotion while facing a long criminal trial after his arrest in 2008. He argued that delay in the judicial process had denied him a fair opportunity for promotion within the Army hierarchy.

A bench comprising AFT chairperson Justice Rajendra Menon and administrative member Rasika Chaube passed the order on March 16. It had issued notice to Union govt and other respondents, asking them to explain why directives should not be issued to consider the officer’s case for promotion to rank of Brigadier and grant of all consequential service benefits on a par with his batchmates or subordinates. On the tribunal order, TOI had reported that “Army will examine the judgment and thereafter take action as per policy provisions”.

On July 31, Mumbai NIA court had acquitted Purohit and six others in the Malegaon blast case, observing that prosecution had failed to establish the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

Arrested in 2008, Col Purohit remained in custody until 2017, when he was granted bail by the Supreme Court. He subsequently resumed service in Indian Army.