HC verdict on 2006 Mumbai serial train blasts shocking: legal experts

Legal experts, politicians, and family members of victims have expressed shock and disbelief at the Bombay High Court verdict on Monday, 21 July, acquitting all 12 men convicted by a special court in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case.

On 11 July 2006, a series of bomb blasts ripped through coaches of seven Western Railway local trains killing 189 people and injuring 824. The bombs were placed inside pressure cookers and the coordinated blasts occurred around 6:30 pm, during the evening rush hour.

The case was investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).

Special Public Prosecutor and senior advocate Pradeep Gharat, who has represented the prosecution in multiple high-profile cases, told IANS, "This is completely shocking."

“When seven people are sentenced to death and six are given life imprisonment by a lower court, and then all of them are acquitted - it's not just surprising, it's staggering. But until we see the High Court’s reasoning, we can't say more," he added.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who has handled several terror-related cases in the past, said, "The acquittal of all accused in such a grave terror attack is extremely concerning. The government will have to appeal to the Supreme Court."

Of the original 13 accused, one was acquitted by the special court in 2015. The remaining 12, whose convictions were overturned by Justice Anil Kilor and Justice S. Chandak, had been in prison for nearly two decades. The court has now ordered their immediate release.

Veteran lawyer Prashant Bhushan questioned the credibility of the initial conviction: “They were convicted & sentenced to death only on police confessions… They went through 19 years of torture, jail & suffering! What recompense?”

Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora, who was an MP from Mumbai in 2006, said, “As a Mumbaikar, I cannot accept this verdict… I appeal to the Maharashtra government to hire the best lawyers and appeal against the Bombay high court’s judgment immediately.”

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya called the verdict “deeply disappointing” and pointed to “shortcomings in both the investigation and legal presentation.”

Maharashtra revenue minister and senior BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule told reporters, "The Maharashtra government will assess the merits of the case before deciding to challenge the HC decision. Before that, we will discuss aspects like the merits of the judgement and reasons for the acquittal. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will also look into it."

Meanwhile, Asaduddin Owaisi of the AIMIM questioned the investigation agencies called it a “complete failure” of the police, Asaduddin Owaisi said the accused had lost 18 years of their lives for a crime they did not commit and for the families who lost their loved ones and the hundreds injured there is no closure.

The shockwaves from the verdict are not just being felt in legal and political circles but also among the families of the victims who have waited for nearly 20 years for justice.

Gardening contractor Harish Powar, now 44, vividly remembers the blast that ripped through the first-class coach of a Virar-bound local train he was travelling in. "The scene keeps cropping up in front of my eyes even after almost two decades. I remember bodies lying inside the compartment with blood splattered on its walls. Some people were writhing in pain, while a few others were lying motionless," Powar told PTI.

He suffered injuries to his chest and was admitted to the hospital for treatment. Recalling his recovery, Powar said he battled physical pains and nightmares for several days.

"In the initial four or five days, I couldn't recognise what had happened to me. I couldn't sleep. The bomb blast scene and bodies of victims used to crop up in my dreams," he added.

Powar said the psychological trauma lingered for long. Even after he recovered from injuries, he initially couldn't muster the courage to board a local train.

"However, gradually life returned to normal, and it had to, as I have to keep working for my family", he added.

Chirag Chauhan, another survivor, who is now wheelchair-bound and a practising CA, said, "Justice got killed".

Hours after the HC ruling, Chauhan (40) took to social media platform X to express his deep disappointment over the verdict and maintained "the law of the land failed today".

As a 21-year-old chartered accountancy student, Chauhan was travelling on a local train on the Western Railway when it was rocked by a powerful bomb blast between Khar and Santacruz stations. He was paralysed due to spinal cord injury suffered in the attack .

(With inputs from PTI/IANS)