7/11 Mumbai Train Blasts Case : Maharashtra Approaches Supreme Court Challenging Bombay HC's Acquittals Of All Accused

The State of Maharashtra has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court's judgment which acquitted all 12 accused in the 7/11 Mumbai train blasts case of 2006.

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter before a bench led by the Chief Justice of India for urgent listing. CJI agreed to list the matter on Thursday.

"It is a serious matter..SLP is ready. Please list it tomorrow..There is urgency," SG submitted. CJI BR Gavai said that he had read in the papers that eight accused have already been released from prison following the High Court's judgment. "Still there are some important issues to be looked at," SG replied.

Yesterday, the Bombay High Court quashed and set aside the judgment of a special MCOCA court, which handed over the death sentence to 5 and life term to 7 accused booked for conspiring and executing the bombs in Mumbai's Western Railway local line on July 11, 2006.

A bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak held that the prosecution failed to establish the guilt of the accused. The case was investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad.

The High Court also observed that the accused were tortured by the ATS officers who were under pressure to find the culprits.

While convicts Kamal Ansari, Mohammad Faisal Ataur Rahman Shaikh, Ehtesham Qutubuddin Siddiqui, Naveed Hussain Khan and Asif Khan were handed over death penalty for planting the bombs, the other set of convicts - Tanveer Ahmed Mohammed Ibrahim Ansari, Mohammed Majid Mohammed Shafi, Shaikh Mohammed Ali Alam Shaikh, Mohammed Sajid Margub Ansari, Muzammil Ataur Rahman Shaikh, Suhail Mehmood Shaikh and Zameer Ahmed Latiur Rehman Shaikh, were granted life term.