The Indian Army has promoted Col Shrikant Purohit to the rank of Brigadier. This comes less than four weeks after the Principal Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) held in abeyance his retirement, which was due on March 31.Sources confirmed the promotion of Colonel Purohit and added that it meant his retirement date now stood automatically extended till March 31, 2028. A Brigadier retires at the age of 56, while a Colonel retires at 54.Colonel Purohit, who was acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, was to retire on March 31, 2026. The AFT Bench, comprising Justice Rajendra Menon and Chairperson Rasika Chaube, had last month directed that his retirement be kept in abeyance till his pending statutory complaint seeking due promotion was decided by the Army.The AFT order dated March 16 said: “We direct that till a decision on the statutory complaint, the applicant’s retirement should be kept in abeyance.” Colonel Purohit had filed a statutory complaint seeking promotion. He had claimed that he was entitled to promotion to the rank of Brigadier at par with his juniors, who had been promoted while he was facing a criminal trial.Colonel Purohit was arrested in 2008 and granted bail by the Supreme Court in August 2017, after which he was permitted to resume duties. The trial continued at the Special NIA Court in Mumbai, which finally acquitted him on July 31, 2025.In his plea before the AFT, Col Purohit had argued that despite an unblemished service record of more than 20 years, his career would end adversely without consideration for promotion after his acquittal. He sought a stay on his retirement until his statutory complaint was decided and his case for promotion considered at par with his juniors.It was also argued that despite earning excellent ACRs, his case for promotion had not been considered.