7/11 Mumbai blast: HC acquits all 12, says prosecution failed to prove case

The Bombay High Court on Monday quashed the conviction of 12 persons in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case and acquitted them, noting the prosecution has "utterly failed" to prove the case against them.

The judgment comes 19 years after the terror attack that shook the city's Western Railway network, resulting in the loss of over 180 lives and leaving several others injured.

A special bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak said the evidence relied by the prosecution was not conclusive to convict the accused persons.

"The prosecution has utterly failed to prove the case against the accused. It is hard to believe that the accused committed the crime. Hence their conviction is quashed and set aside," the HC said.

The bench said it refuses to confirm the death penalty imposed on five of the convicts and also the life imprisonment on the remaining seven, and acquitted them.

The court said the accused shall be released from jail forthwith if not wanted in any other case.

A special court in 2015 convicted the 12 persons in the case, of whom five were sentenced to death and the remaining seven were given life imprisonment.

After the HC's judgment was pronounced on Monday, the convicts, who were produced before the court via video conference from various jails across the state, thanked their lawyers.

Maharashtra govt will study order, says Bawankule

Maharashtra revenue minister and senior BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the state government will assess the merits of the Bombay High Court order acquitting all 12 accused in the 7/11 Mumbai train blasts, which killed more than 180 persons, before deciding on whether to challenge it in the Supreme Court.   "The Maharashtra government will assess the merits of the case before deciding to challenge the HC decision to acquit all the accused. 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. The state government will move the Supreme Court only after the assessment." If the state has any additional information, CM Fadnavis will present it in detail, said Bawankule, who is a former president of the Maharashtra unit of Bharatiya Janata Party.

On July 11, 2006, seven blasts ripped through Mumbai local trains at various locations on the western line, killing more than 180 persons and injuring several others.