2006 Mumbai train blast convict's plea in HC for state govt reports on IM

The Delhi High Court has sought the Centre's response on a plea by a convict in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings case challenging a CIC order that rejected his request for various state government reports on banned terror group Indian Mujahideen (IM).

Justice Jayant Nath issued a notice to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Ehtesham Qutubuddin Siddique's plea. Siddique, who is on death row at the Nagpur Central Jail, has contended that according to the reports of governments of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, the July 11, 2006 serial blasts were carried out by IM.

In the serial blasts, seven RDX bombs ripped through as many Western line local trains in Mumbai leading to the death of 189 persons and injuring 829.

Siddique, in his petition filed through advocate Arpit Bhargava, contended that the state government reports and background notes were sent to the Centre as part of the process to declare IM a banned terror organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967.

"It is in the above said reports of all state governments as well as in the background notes that it has been mentioned and established that 7/11 blast case(2006 Mumbai train blast case) was carried out by 'Indian Mujahideen'.

"Hence, the above said reports of state governments and background notes will prove the innocence of the petitioner as well as violation of human rights of petitioner." the petition has claimed.

It has also contended that the Central Information Commission (CIC) rejected his plea for the information without appreciating that the details he was seeking were not related to the assistance given in confidence for law enforcement.

"The CIC failed to appreciate that the information sought by petitioner does contain the 'material' which shows that 2006 Mumbai train blasts was carried out by Indian Mujahideen, which means that 2006 Mumbai train blast was not carried out by earlier arrested accused, including the petitioner," the petition has contended.

He had first written to the ministry seeking the information in 2017 but it was denied, and after appeals failed to get him the details, he moved the CIC which dismissed his plea on June 13. Thereafter, he moved the high court.

Siddique had earlier moved the high court against a CIC order which rejected his plea for directing the Intelligence Bureau to provide him information about a report by the agency purportedly calling for review of evidence in the 2006 Mumbai train blast case.

A single judge bench of the high court had on January 16, 2019 asked the CIC to consider his request afresh as information he was seeking from the IB pertained to his human rights.

Siddique has claimed that he was falsely implicated in the case which amounts to violation of his human rights.