Mumbai: 19 years after a series of bombings on Mumbai’s local trains killed 187 people and injured over 800, the Bombay High Court on Monday acquitted all 12 men who had been convicted in the case. In 2015, a special court had sentenced five of them to death and the remaining seven to life imprisonment.
Prosecution “utterly failed”: High Court overturns convictions
A division bench comprising Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Shyam C Chandak set aside the convictions, stating the prosecution had “utterly failed” to establish guilt. “It is hard to believe the accused committed the crime. Their conviction is quashed and set aside,” the bench observed. The court also directed that they be released if not required in any other cases.
July 11, 2006: The horror that lingers
On July 11, 2006, seven bombs exploded within 11 minutes on different local trains on Mumbai’s Western Railway line. The attacks were carried out during evening rush hour, targeting first-class compartments to maximise impact. Pressure cooker bombs were used to enhance the intensity of the blasts.
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The explosions occurred between 6:23 pm and 6:35 pm at or near Matunga Road, Mahim Junction, Bandra, Khar Road, Jogeshwari, Bhayandar and Borivali stations. The bombs were planted in moving trains, and several exploded just as the trains approached crowded platforms.
The force of the blasts tore through the thick steel walls and roofs of the carriages, ejecting victims onto platforms and tracks. At Mahim and Borivali, not only train passengers but also people on the platforms were killed or injured. Investigators said timer devices were likely used to ensure near-simultaneous detonation.
The prosecution argued that the aim was to cause mass casualties and widespread panic.
MCOCA court’s death and life sentences overturned
On September 30, 2015, a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court had sentenced five men to death. They were: Kamal Ahmed Mohammed Vakil Ansari, Mohammed Faisal Ataur Rahman Shaikh, Ehtesham Qutubuddin Siddique, Naveed Hussain Khan Rasheed Hussain Khan, and Asif Khan Bashir Khan alias Juned.
Seven others — Tanveer Ahmed, Mohammed Ibrahim Ansari, Mohamad Majid Mohamad Shafi, Shaikh Mohammed Ali Alam Shaikh, Mohammad Sajid Margub Ansari, Muzzammil Ataur Rahman Shaikh, Suhail Mehmood Shaikh, and Zameer Ahmed Latifur Rehman Shaikh — were given life sentences.
Only Abdul Wahid Din Mohammad Shaikh was acquitted at the time.
After years of investigation, court proceedings, and appeals, the acquittal of all 12 convicts by the Bombay High Court raises serious questions over the quality of evidence and the conduct of the prosecution throughout the trial.
