Saturday, March 29, 2025
In a stunning legal turnaround, the Bombay High Court has acquitted all 11 convicts in the 2006 Mumbai serial train blast case, reversing the previous verdict that had sentenced five to death and seven to life imprisonment. The verdict comes 19 years after the tragic incident, which claimed 189 lives and injured over 800.
The court delivered its decision on July 21, 2025, clearing the names of the accused due to insufficient evidence and procedural flaws. One of the original 12 convicts had died during the trial. The remaining 11 had filed appeals challenging their convictions in the 2015 ruling by the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court. The High Court has now dismissed all pending appeals, marking the end of nearly two decades of legal proceedings.
On July 11, 2006, Mumbai’s suburban railway network witnessed a series of coordinated bomb blasts. Seven powerful explosions ripped through first-class compartments of local trains on the Western line during peak evening hours. The blasts occurred at Matunga Road, Mahim, Bandra, Khar Road, Jogeshwari, Borivali, and Mira Road stations.
The bombs, reportedly planted in pressure cookers containing 2–2.5 kg of RDX and 3.5–4 kg of ammonium nitrate, were placed under the seats and detonated within minutes of each other. The attack paralyzed Mumbai and was one of the deadliest terror incidents in India’s history.
The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had arrested 13 individuals in connection with the blasts. In 2015, the MCOCA court found 12 guilty and delivered capital punishment to five while sentencing seven to life. The verdict was challenged in the High Court, which has now acquitted all 11 living convicts, citing discrepancies in the prosecution’s case.
The ruling has sparked debate across the country. While families of the accused have welcomed the decision, calling it justice long overdue, victims’ families are reportedly stunned and disappointed. Legal experts believe the judgment may lead to scrutiny of investigative lapses and could reopen discussions on anti-terror probes in India.
