India, April 11 -- The Indian Army has cleared Colonel Shrikant Purohit, who was acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case last July, for promotion to the rank of Brigadier, officials aware of the matter said on Friday.

The officer had recently approached the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) arguing that the long trial had affected his career progression in service. He was to retire on March 31 this year, but the tribunal put his retirement on hold.

As brigadier, he will now serve for two more years, the officials said.

Purohit, who participated in counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir and was also with military intelligence, spent almost nine years in judicial custody. He was released on bail in 2017 but remained under suspensi...