Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday acquitted all 12 men convicted in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, which killed 187 people and injured over 800. The High Court observed that the prosecution had “utterly failed” to establish their guilt.
Five of the 12 convicts were sentenced to death and the rest to life imprisonment by a special court in 2015. A division bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam C Chandak quashed the convictions, stating the prosecution had “utterly failed” to establish guilt.
11/7: When terror ripped through Mumbai
On July 11, 2006, seven blasts tore through first-class compartments of Mumbai’s suburban trains on the Western Railway line. The attacks took place between 6:23 and 6:35 p.m., targeting stations like Mahim, Bandra, Borivali and others during peak hours. Pressure cooker bombs were used to maximise damage.
Chronology: From the dastardly attack to the long legal battle
Here is a timeline of events from July 11, 2006, when the blasts in the Mumbai trains shook the nation:
- July 11, 2006: Seven bomb blasts in first-class compartments of seven local trains on the western suburban railway line between 6.23 pm and 6.29 pm. 187 persons killed and 824 injured.
- July 11, 2006: Seven separate FIRs lodged in different police stations. Later clubbed and investigated by the Maharashtra Anti- Terrorism Squad (ATS).
- July-August 2006: Thirteen persons were arrested in the case by the ATS for their involvement.
- November 30, 2006: Chargesheet filed against 30 accused, including 13 Pakistani nationals, several of whom are wanted.
- 2007: Trial begins.
- August 19, 2014: Trial ends. Special court reserves its order against 13 arrested accused.
- September 11, 2015: Special court convicts 12 out of the 13 accused. One accused acquitted due to lack of evidence against him.
- September 30, 2015: Special court imposes death penalty on five of the convicted accused. Life sentence imposed on remaining seven.
- October 2015: Maharashtra government files appeal in Bombay High Court seeking confirmation of death penalty imposed on five. All 12 accused persons file appeals in HC challenging their conviction and sentences.
- 2015-2024: Appeals placed before different benches of HC.
- June 2024: Ehtesham Siddiqui, one of the convicts on death row, files application in HC seeking intervention for expeditious hearing and disposal of the appeals.
- July 2024: HC sets up special bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak to hear case.
- July 15, 2024: Special bench of HC starts hearing appeals on a day-to-day basis.
- January 31, 2025: HC completes hearing appeals. Closes matter for orders.
- July 21, 2025: 19 years after blasts, Bombay HC acquits 12 persons, noting prosecution has utterly failed to prove case and that it is hard to believe the accused committed the crime.
(With inputs from agencies)