Supreme Court stays on acquitting 12 accused of Mumbai blast, stay on Bombay High Court’s decision

Mumbai

SC issued notice on the Bombay High Court’s decision to acquit 12 accused in 2006 Mumbai Train Blast. The Maharashtra government and the Anti -Terrorism Squad (ATS) had filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the High Court’s decision, which was heard by Chief Justice B.R. The bench headed by Gawai.

On 11 July 2006, there were seven bomb blasts in suburban trains in Mumbai, killing 187 people and injured more than 800. In the case, in 2015, the Special MCOCA court convicted 12 accused, in which five were sentenced to death and seven were sentenced to life imprisonment. However, on July 21, the Bombay High Court acquitted all the accused citing lack of evidence and failure of the prosecution.

CJI BR Gawai, Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice Joymalya Bagchi bench mentioned the case by the Maharashtra government counsel and demanded the case to be heard soon. On which the court said, see what is so soon? Eight people have already been released. Ban on acquitting is imposed only in rare cases.
Hearing will be held on 24 July

The Supreme Court will hear the case on Thursday (July 24). On behalf of the Maharashtra government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, while demanding an immediate hearing from the Supreme Court, said that its early hearing is necessary. The bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai, Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice NV Anjaria has listed the case for Thursday.

High court acquitted all 12 accused

On Monday, the Bombay High Court acquitted all the 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai serial train blast case. The court had said that the prosecution failed to prove the case, it is difficult to believe that the accused has committed the crime. While giving the verdict, the court acquitted 12 accused in the absence of evidence. The High Court said that it is difficult to assume that the accused have committed the crime, so they are acquitted. The court ordered that if he is not wanted in any other case, he should be released from jail immediately.

Question on the functioning of investigative agencies

This relief, which was found after about 19 years, has brought comfort to the families of these innocents, while this decision has also raised serious questions on the functioning of the country’s investigative agencies. Due to the acquittal of the accused, the credibility of the investigation has been raised again, as the High Court rejected the story of the ATS involving SIMI and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

This decision of the High Court is a major setback for Maharashtra ATS investigating the case. The agency claimed that the accused were a member of the banned organization students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and had conspired with Pakistani members of the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET).

More than 180 people died

The special court sentenced 5 out of 12 to death and 7 to life imprisonment. A convict, who was sentenced to death, died in the year 2021. On 11 July 2006, more than 180 people died in 7 blasts in Mumbai local trains at many places on the western line. In 2015, the High Court accepted the punishment given by a special court to the accused and their appeals challenging their conviction.