No one planted the bomb! All 12 accused in 2006 Mumbai train blast case that killed 187 acquitted due to….
2006 Mumbai Train Blasts Case: In the latest and major development in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case, the Bombay High Court, after 19 years since a series of coordinated blasts that killed more than 180 innocent people, on Monday acquitted all 12 accused, stating that the prosecution “utterly failed” to prove the involvement of these 12 men in the blasts on Mumbai’s suburban trains. The court further ruled that the evidence that the prosecution presented was unreliable and insufficient for a conviction.
Big Setback For The Maharashtra ATS
The judgment given by the Mumbai HC is seen as a major setback for the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which collected all the evidence and led the probe into one of the worst terror attacks in Mumbai’s history.
The coordinated blasts occurred during rush hour between 6:23 and 6:28 pm on July 11, 2006. The explosions took place in seven coaches on the western suburban line, killing over 180 people and injuring 829.
What HC Had Said During Its Verdict?
The bench, including Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak, was not satisfied with the prosecution and found serious lapses in the investigation. The bench stated that prosecution has ‘utterly failed’ to prove the involvement of the 12 men in the blasts.
“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 stated in its judgment.
The Court Discarded Crucial Evidence, Witness Testimonies
Raising serious concerns over procedural lapses in the probe, the court stated that poor handling was done during the recovery of the items such as explosives and circuit boxes, used to assemble the bombs. All the eyewitnesses, including the taxi driver, people who saw the bomb planting, all were rejected by the HC.
“The witness statements are not credible or trustworthy and conclusive to convict the accused. The evidence is not safe to rely on and the defence has succeeded in shattering the same,” PTI quoted the judgment.
The court ruled the suspect identification procedure flawed due to unauthorized police officers conducting the lineup. Furthermore, the court cast doubt on the reliability of witness identifications, given the significant time elapsed—four months post-incident and four years later in court—arguing insufficient opportunity for accurate identification.
According to a report by the PTI, the special bench of the Bombay High Court also dismissed the alleged confessional statements of some of the accused.
2015 Convictions Quashed As Court Acquits All Accused
In 2015, a special court had convicted 12 men in the case—five were sentenced to death and seven to life imprisonment. The Bombay high court has now set aside all those convictions, directing that the accused be released from prison unless wanted in any other case.
In 2015, a special court had convicted 12 men in the case, pronouncing death sentences to five and lifer to seven others. now, the Bombay HC has set aside all those convictions and announced a new verdict that all 12 accused be released from prison.
Five individuals—Kamal Ansari (deceased), Mohammad Faisal Ataur Rahman Shaikh, Ehtesham Qutubuddin Siddiqui, Naveed Hussain Khan, and Asif Khan—received the death penalty. Seven others—Tanveer Ahmed Mohammed Ibrahim Ansari, Mohammed Majid Mohammed Shafi, Shaikh Mohammed Ali Alam Shaikh, Mohammed Sajid Margub Ansari, Muzammil Ataur Rahman Shaikh, Suhail Mehmood Shaikh, and Zameer Ahmed Latiur Rehman Shaikh—were given life imprisonment.
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