Maharashtra ATS Challenges 2006 Mumbai Train Blasts Acquittals in Supreme Court; Hearing Set for July 24

Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court’s verdict that acquitted all 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai serial train blasts case, which killed 189 people and injured over 800. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the matter on July 24.

A bench led by Chief Justice BR Gavai, along with Justices K Vinod Chandran and NV Anjaria, listed the matter for urgent hearing after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Maharashtra ATS, sought immediate intervention, citing the gravity of the case.

The High Court had on Monday overturned the 2009 trial court verdict, which had awarded the death penalty to five accused (one of whom died during the pandemic) and life imprisonment to seven others for their alleged role in planting seven bombs on Mumbai’s Western Railway suburban line on July 11, 2006.

The division bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak ruled that the prosecution had “utterly failed” to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt and remarked it was “hard to believe the accused committed the crime.” The court also highlighted allegations of torture by ATS officers and noted that investigators were under pressure to produce quick results after the attacks.

The ATS, which had investigated the case, has maintained that the accused were linked to the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and conspired with Pakistani operatives of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) to carry out the attacks. The serial blasts during the evening rush hour on July 11, 2006, remain one of India’s deadliest terror strikes, leaving a deep scar on Mumbai’s local train network and its commuters.

The High Court verdict has come as a major setback for the Maharashtra ATS, prompting immediate legal recourse. Public reactions on social media have been mixed, with many expressing shock over the acquittals while others questioned the investigation’s quality and handling over nearly two decades.

Officials have stated that the Maharashtra ATS will present all relevant evidence before the Supreme Court to seek a stay and reversal of the acquittals. The top court’s decision on the matter will be closely watched, given its implications on justice for the victims and the country’s anti-terror legal framework.