Bombay High Court Acquits All 12 Muslims Accused in 7/11 Mumbai Train Blasts After 18 Years

Bombay High Court Acquits All 12 Muslims Accused in 7/11 Mumbai Train Blasts After 18 Years
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In a landmark verdict, the Bombay High Court has acquitted all 12 Muslim men convicted in connection with the 7/11 Mumbai serial train blasts of 2006, which killed 189 people and injured over 800, Muslim Mirror reported. The accused had spent nearly 18 years in jail following their sentencing by a special MCOCA court in 2015, where five were given death sentences and seven life imprisonment.

The special division bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt. The detailed judgment is yet to be released.

The five men sentenced to death were Kamal Ansari, Mohammad Faisal Ataur Rahman Shaikh, Ehtesham Qutubuddin Siddiqui, Naveed Hussain Khan, and Asif Khan. The seven sentenced to life imprisonment include Tanveer Ahmed Mohammed Ibrahim Ansari and others. Another accused, Wahid Shaikh, was acquitted earlier after nine years in prison.

Senior advocate Dr. S. Muralidhar, representing two life convicts, highlighted serious investigative lapses, including biased procedures and media influence. He emphasized the long-lasting stigma on the accused and their families.