No evidence; Bombay HC acquits all 12 accused in 2006 Mumbai train blast case

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has acquitted all 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai train blast case. The court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the charges against them. A special bench comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak stated that the evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient.

In 2015, a trial court had sentenced five of the accused to death and the remaining seven to life imprisonment. The bombings had claimed 189 lives and injured over 800 people.

"The prosecution has completely failed to prove the case against the accused. It is difficult to believe that the accused committed the crime. Therefore, their convictions are set aside and the case is dismissed. If there are no other cases pending against them, the accused should be released from prison," the High Court ordered.

The serial blasts that shocked the nation occurred on July 11, 2006. Seven bombs exploded in different Mumbai local trains within a span of 11 minutes. Pressure cookers were used to intensify the blasts. The first explosion occurred at 6:24 PM and the last one at 6:35 PM on that day. The bombs had been planted in the first-class compartments of trains departing from Churchgate. The blasts occurred near stations such as Matunga Road, Mahim Junction, Bandra, Khar Road, Jogeshwari, Bhayandar, and Borivali.