Mumbai Train Blast: 7 explosions, 187 dead, 800 injured and no one to blame; Why?

The 2006 Mumbai train blasts killed 187 people and injured more than 800. Now, after the Bombay High Court’s decision, no one is being held responsible for these blasts.

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday cleared 12 people who were earlier found guilty in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case. A panel of two judges criticized the prosecution and raised questions about the way evidence was collected, including witness statements and the identification process. The court also said that all the accused should be released on a bond of 25 lakh rupees each.

The 2006 Mumbai train blasts killed 187 people and injured more than 800. Now, after the Bombay High Court’s decision, no one is being held responsible for these blasts. The trial court had given the death penalty to five of the 12 accused and life imprisonment to seven. One person was found not guilty in the case.

Later, more details about the incident came to light. On July 11, around 6:24 pm, when people were going back home from the Mumbai local train, explosions at seven points shook the whole system. Later, investigators found that high-strength RDX and ammonium nitrate were placed in pressure cookers and carried inside the train. These bombs had timers. The blasts occurred on different railway lines across Mumbai until 6:35 am, which was over 11 minutes.

What Happened In Special Court?

A special court under the MCOCA was set up to handle the case. The trial started in 2007 and went on until August 19, 2014. The court has not yet given its verdict on the matter.

On September 30, 2015, the special court sentenced five people to death and seven to life imprisonment.
One accused was cleared of all charges.

Who Were The Accused?

A total of 13 people were involved in the case. Out of the 12 people who were sentenced, one passed away in 2021. The remaining cases were still pending in the High Court. The five men who were given the death penalty by the special court were Kamal Ansari, Mohd Faisal Ataur Rehman Sheikh, Ehtesham Qutbuddin Siddiqui, Naveed Hussain Khan, and Asif Khan. They were found guilty of murder, criminal conspiracy, and promoting terrorism under the provisions of the MCOCA Act.

The seven others who got life imprisonment are Tanvir Ahmed Mohammad Ibrahim Ansari, Mohammad Majid Mohammad Shafi, Sheikh Mohammad Ali Alam Sheikh, Mohammad Sajid Margub Ansari, Muzammil Ataur Rahman Sheikh, Suhail Mehmood Sheikh, and Zamin Ahmed Latiur Rahman Sheikh. A man named Wahid Sheikh was cleared of the charges. However, he stayed in jail for nine years since his arrest in the case.