Supreme Court to Review Acquittal of 12 Accused in 2006 Mumbai Train Blasts Case

The Supreme Court is set to hear the appeal challenging the Bombay High Court's decision to acquit all 12 convicts in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case, which resulted in the deaths of 189 people. The Maharashtra Government has approached the Supreme Court against the judgment.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Maharashtra, requested an urgent hearing, emphasizing the seriousness of the matter from the government's perspective. He informed a bench led by Chief Justice of India B R Gavai that the state had prepared the appeal and sought a hearing on Wednesday.

Although eight of the convicts have already been released, the Solicitor General urged the court to consider the appeal promptly. Chief Justice Gavai agreed to list the case for Thursday.

The convicts have served more than 18 years in prison. The Bombay High Court recently overturned the 2015 judgment of a special court that had sentenced five convicts to death and seven to life imprisonment in connection with the 7/11 Mumbai train blasts. The high court acquitted one person, and the state government did not appeal this decision.

The high court noted that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt. Following the judgment, the convicts were released as they were not required in any other cases.

Eight convicts were released on the same day, while two remain in custody due to pending cases. One convict passed away due to COVID-19 in 2021, and another was already out on parole.