The Supreme Court on Thursday put a hold on the Bombay High Court’s recent verdict that had acquitted all 12 individuals accused in the 2006 Mumbai train bomb blasts case. A bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh clarified that the High Court’s judgment should not be considered a legal precedent while issuing notices to the acquitted individuals. However, the apex court did not order their return to prison. The Maharashtra government had approached the Supreme Court challenging the acquittal, arguing that certain findings of the High Court could adversely affect ongoing and future trials under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
The devastating series of blasts on July 11, 2006, targeted seven Mumbai local trains during evening rush hour, resulting in the deaths of over 180 people and leaving hundreds injured. The explosions, which were triggered within 11 minutes between Churchgate and Borivali, involved rigged pressure cookers to maximize casualties. Earlier this week, the Bombay High Court, through a bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak, overturned the 2015 MCOCA court judgment that had sentenced five of the accused to death and the remaining seven to life imprisonment. The High Court ruled that the prosecution had “utterly failed to prove the case,” adding that it was “hard to believe” the accused were involved in the crime.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Maharashtra government, argued that while he did not seek the re-arrest of the acquitted persons, the High Court’s findings raised serious legal concerns. The apex court noted that the accused were already released but maintained that the High Court verdict should not be treated as a precedent pending further review. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the acquittals as “shocking,” reaffirming the government’s commitment to pursuing justice for the victims. The case, one of the deadliest terrorist attacks on India’s railway network, continues to be a grim reminder of the challenges in counter-terror investigations and prosecutions.
