Nineteen years after the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, which killed 189 people and injured over 800, the Bombay High Court has acquitted all 12 individuals previously convicted by a lower court in connection with the attacks.
In 2015, a trial court had found the 12 accused guilty, sentencing five to death and the remaining seven to life imprisonment, reported NDTV.
However, overturning that verdict, the High Court bench comprising Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Shyam Chandak ruled that the prosecution had “completely failed” to establish the case against the accused.
“The prosecution has utterly failed to prove the case against the accused. It is hard to believe that the accused committed the crime. Hence, their conviction is quashed and set aside,” the bench said. The court said the accused shall be released from jail if they are not wanted in any other case.
The Bombay High Court noted that the 12 men convicted in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings were given the “benefit of doubt” because the prosecution failed to establish their guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The court raised concerns about the reliability of witness testimonies, observing that it was unreasonable to expect accurate identification of suspects more than 100 days after the attacks.
The judges also questioned the relevance of the explosives, weapons, and maps recovered during the investigation, stating they did not appear to be connected to the blasts. Furthermore, the prosecution was unable to conclusively determine the type of bombs used in the explosions.
On July 11, 2006, seven coordinated blasts tore through Mumbai’s suburban trains over an 11-minute span during the evening rush hour. The explosions, caused by pressure cooker bombs placed in first-class compartments of trains departing from Churchgate, occurred near Matunga Road, Mahim Junction, Bandra, Khar Road, Jogeshwari, Bhayandar, and Borivali stations. The attacks left 189 dead and over 800 injured.
In 2015, a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court found 12 people guilty. Faisal Sheikh, Asif Khan, Kamal Ansari, Ehtesham Siddiqui, and Naveed Khan were sentenced to death. The remaining seven—Mohammed Sajid Ansari, Mohammed Ali, Dr Tanveer Ansari, Majid Shafi, Muzzammil Shaikh, Sohail Shaikh, and Zamir Shaikh—were handed life sentences for their alleged involvement in the conspiracy.
All 12 have now been acquitted and will be released following the High Court’s ruling, which found that the evidence did not support convictions for murder, conspiracy, or waging war against the nation.
