Indian Court Clears All 12 in 2006 Mumbai Train Bombing Case

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Mumbai Train Bombing Acquittal After 19 Years

Nineteen years after the horrific train bombings in Mumbai, which resulted in 189 fatalities and over 800 injuries, the Bombay High Court has overturned the convictions of all 12 individuals previously found guilty by a lower court.

In 2015, a trial court had sentenced five of the accused to death and the remaining seven to life imprisonment, according to NDTV. However, the High Court, led by Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak, stated that the prosecution failed to present a convincing case against the defendants.

“The prosecution has completely failed to prove its case. It is hard to believe that these individuals committed the crime. Therefore, their convictions are annulled,” the court asserted. The judges indicated that the 12 men would be released from prison unless they are implicated in other cases.

The judges granted these individuals the “benefit of doubt,” emphasizing that the prosecution did not meet the standard of beyond a reasonable doubt. They expressed concerns regarding the reliability of witness testimonies, pointing out that identifying suspects more than 100 days after the attacks was unrealistic.

Additionally, the court questioned the significance of the items recovered during the investigation, including explosives, weapons, and maps, which did not seem relevant to the bombings. The prosecution also could not definitively identify the type of bombs utilized in the attacks.

On July 11, 2006, a series of seven coordinated explosions struck Mumbai’s suburban train systems within an 11-minute period during the evening rush. These blasts, orchestrated using pressure cooker bombs placed in first-class compartments, occurred near several train stations, including Churchgate, Matunga Road, Mahim Junction, Bandra, Khar Road, Jogeshwari, Bhayandar, and Borivali, leading to the tragic loss of 189 lives and injuring over 800 people.

In 2015, a special court under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) convicted the 12 individuals, including Faisal Sheikh, Asif Khan, Kamal Ansari, Ehtesham Siddiqui, and Naveed Khan, who were sentenced to death. The others received life sentences for their supposed roles in the conspiracy.

Now, following the High Court’s ruling, all 12 have been acquitted, with the court noting that the evidence presented against them did not substantiate charges of murder, conspiracy, or waging war against the nation.