All Accused in 2006 Mumbai Serial Blasts Acquitted: Bombay HC Cites Lack of Conclusive Evidence

On Monday, the Bombay High Court acquitted all 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai train serial blasts case. The court stated that the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. This verdict comes 19 years after the horrific incident.

A special bench comprising Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Shyam Chandak ruled that the evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient to convict the accused.

Tragic Blasts That Shook Mumbai in 2006

On July 11, 2006, seven bomb blasts occurred within minutes between 6:24 PM and 6:35 PM in first-class compartments of Mumbai’s Western Railway local trains. A total of 189 people were killed and 824 were injured.

The explosions took place near the stations of Khar, Bandra, Jogeshwari, Mahim, Borivali, Matunga, and Mira Road. The bombs were packed inside pressure cookers and made using RDX, ammonium nitrate, fuel oil, and metal nails.

Who Were the 12 Accused Acquitted by the High Court?

The 12 acquitted individuals include:

• Kamal Ahmed Ansari (37)
  
• Tanveer Ahmed Ansari (37)
  
• Mohammad Faizal Sheikh (36)
  
• Ehtesham Siddiqui (30)
  
• Mohammad Majid Shafi (32)
  
• Sheikh Alam Sheikh (41)
  
• Mohammad Sajid Ansari (34)
  
• Muzammil Sheikh (27)
  
• Sohail Mahmood Sheikh (43)
  
• Zamir Ahmed Sheikh (36)
  
• Naveed Hussain Khan (30)
  
• Asif Khan (38)

13 Pakistani Nationals Named in Case; 5 Sentenced to Death in 2015 Verdict

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested the accused between July 20 and October 3, 2006. In November of the same year, the accused submitted written statements claiming their confessions were obtained through coercion.

Out of 30 people named in the chargesheet, 13 were identified as Pakistani nationals. In September 2015, after nearly nine years of trial, the Special MCOCA Court sentenced five of the accused to death, seven to life imprisonment, and acquitted one. 

Appeal Filed in 2016, Final Verdict After 9 Years in High Court

In 2016, the convicted individuals challenged the trial court’s decision in the Bombay High Court. The appeal hearing began in 2019, and the court reviewed the case in detail. The case remained pending until 2023–2024, with hearings held in phases.

Eventually, the High Court ruled in favor of the accused, highlighting that the evidence presented lacked decisive merit to uphold the convictions.