Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday showed profound outrage at the acquittal by the Bombay High Court of all 12 people who had been convicted in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, declaring the state's decision to appeal the ruling in the Supreme Court.
"The verdict of the Bombay High Court is highly shocking and we will challenge it in the Supreme Court," said Fadnavis.
The High Court decision comes nearly 18 years after one of the deadliest terror attacks in Mumbai’s history. On July 11, 2006, seven bombs exploded in quick succession across Mumbai’s suburban rail network, targeting first-class coaches on trains leaving Churchgate.
The blasts, which occurred within an 11-minute window, struck stations such as Matunga Road, Mahim Junction, Bandra, Khar, Jogeshwari, Bhayandar, and Borivali, leaving 189 dead and over 827 injured.
A special bench headed by Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak held the evidence produced to be inconclusive and ridden with procedural irregularities. The bench held that the prosecution "utterly failed" to prove the guilt of the accused. Consequently, all 12 were directed to be released, overturning the 2015 trial court verdict that had sentenced five to death and the remainder to life imprisonment.
Amongst the acquitted, Mohammed Sajid Ansari insisted that the outfit had been unfairly accused and subjected to coercive methods. "We were framed by the police. All 13 arrested people are innocent. The ATS made a false case, and our confessions were under pressure," he said in an interview with ANI. Ansari further stated that his family had suffered immensely during the almost two decades he was incarcerated.
Sarifur Rehman, brother of one of the acquitted men, Zamir Ahmed, also expressed his relief. "We have been repeating for the last 19 years that he was wrongly accused. Today, with the grace of Allah, we got relief from the High Court," he added, pointing out the long wait of their family.
The High Court decision has triggered renewed debate on accountability in high-profile terror probes and the impartiality of judicial proceedings in such cases. With the Maharashtra government set to approach the Supreme Court next, the next few weeks will witness increased legal and political activity.
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