Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called the Bombay High Court’s verdict in the 7/11 Mumbai train blasts case “very shocking” and said the state government will soon challenge the acquittal of 12 accused in the Supreme Court.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday that he was shocked by the Bombay High Court’s decision to acquit 12 people in the 2006 Mumbai blasts case. He also said that the state government will challenge this verdict in the Supreme Court.
CM Fadnavis told,
“The verdict of the Bombay High Court is very shocking and we will challenge it in the Supreme Court,”
Earlier in the day, one of the acquitted, Mohammed Sajid Ansari, claimed he had been framed by the Mumbai Police from the outset and asserted his innocence.
Ansari alleged that the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) fabricated a false narrative regarding the case and that all confessions were obtained through torture. He emphasized that 19 years of his life have been lost, causing immense suffering for his family.
Ansari told media,
“I have been saying this from the beginning that I am innocent. Police have framed a false case against us. All 13 people who were arrested are innocent. ATS has circulated a false narrative. All our confessions were taken after torturing us. Today, the Bombay High Court has finally pronounced that we are innocent. 19 years of my life have been lost. My daughter and wife have gone through a lot,”
In another comment, Sarifur Rehman, a brother of one of the acquitted, expressed relief that his brother Zamir Ahmed was acquitted after 19 years of legal struggles, during which the family faced significant hardships.
Rehman stated that his brother is currently in Amravati jail, and the High Court’s decision has brought happiness to their family.
Rehman said,
“My brother Zamir Ahmed has been acquitted after 19 years. For the past 19 years, we have faced hardships in court. But today, by the grace of God, we received relief from the high court as my brother was honourably acquitted. We have been saying for 19 years that he is innocent and was falsely implicated. He is currently in Amravati Jail, and everyone at my house is very happy that my brother will be returning soon,”
On Monday, the Bombay High Court acquitted all 12 individuals who had been convicted by a trial court for their alleged involvement in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts.
This pivotal ruling came after 19 years, with a special bench of the Bombay High Court determining that the evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient for conviction. The court subsequently ordered the immediate release of all the accused.
On the evening of July 11, 2006, bomb blasts occurred at seven different locations on Mumbai local trains within a span of just 11 minutes. The attacks resulted in 189 fatalities and over 827 injuries.
The bombs were placed in first-class compartments of trains departing from Churchgate, detonating near the stations of Matunga Road, Mahim Junction, Bandra, Khar, Jogeshwari, Bhayandar, and Borivali.
A trial court had convicted 12 individuals in connection with the blasts in 2015.
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