Maharashtra govt decides to challenge Bombay HC's 2006 Mumbai serial blast verdict in SC

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 21 : The Bombay High Court on Monday acquitted 12 accused of the 2006 Mumbai train blasts, which had drawn anger from the victims; meanwhile, a feeling of happiness spread among the families of the people who had been acquitted.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while addressing the issue, expressed shock and stated that the government would challenge the Bombay HC verdict in the Supreme Court.
"The verdict of the Bombay High Court is very shocking and we will challenge it in the Supreme Court", CM Fadnavis told reporters.
This important verdict came after 19 years. A special bench of the Bombay High Court ruled that the evidence relied on by the prosecution was not conclusive to convict the accused persons. The court then ordered the immediate release of all the accused.
On the evening of July 11, 2006, bomb blasts took place at seven different places in the Mumbai local trains within just 11 minutes. In this incident, 189 people died, while more than 827 passengers were injured.
The bombs were placed in first-class compartments of trains from Churchgate. They exploded near the stations of Matunga Road, Mahim Junction, Bandra, Khar, Jogeshwari, Bhayandar and Borivali. A trial court in 2015 convicted 12 people in the blasts' case.
Ansari, an accused, pointed out that the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) created a false narrative about the matter, and all the confessions were extracted by torturing them. He stated that 19 years of his life have been lost, due to which his family has suffered.
"I have been saying this from the beginning that I am innocent. Police have framed a false case against us. All 13 people who were arrested are innocent. ATS has circulated a false narrative. All our confessions were taken after torturing us. Today, the Bombay High Court has finally pronounced that we are innocent. 19 years of my life have been lost. My daughter and wife have gone through a lot," Ansari told ANI.
One of the brothers of the acquittees, Sarifur Rehman, said that his brother Zamir Ahmed has been acquitted after 19 years, and during this period, his family has faced a lot of hardships.
Rehman said that his brother is currently in Amravati jail, and following the High Court's decision, there is happiness in his family.
"My brother Zamir Ahmad has been acquitted after 19 years. For the past 19 years, we have faced hardships in court. But today, by the grace of God, we received relief from the high court as my brother was honourably acquitted. We have been saying for 19 years that he is innocent and was falsely implicated. He is currently in Amravati Jail, and everyone at my house is very happy that my brother will be returning soon," Rehman said.
Ramesh Naik, who lost his daughter in the 2006 Mumbai blasts, questioned the government following Bombay High Court's decision to acquit 12 accused of the incident.
Naik questioned the purpose of these 19 years and what was the matter due to which the case was stretched so long? He said that after a bomb blasts took place in 2002 and 2008, all the accused were hanged quickly.
As the Bombay High Court acquitted all 12 accused of the incident, Ramesh Naik asked then who is responsible for the 2006 Mumbai blasts.
"I had a question for the government: why did it take 19 years? 19 years for what purpose? What was the matter that caused it to take 19 years before reaching a decision? After a bomb blast happened in 2002, another incident occurred in 2008, and for that, Kasab and others were hanged quickly. However, these terrorists, who were kept in jail for 19 years, have now been acquitted. If not them, then who caused the bomb blast on the train? It seems like a joke; the court's decision appears to be a joke," he said.
Former BJP MP, Kriit Somaiya, has urged the state government to approach the Supreme Court and appeal against the verdict.
"The decision given by the Mumbai High Court regarding the 2006 Mumbai bomb blasts has caused great sorrow and shock. Certainly, there must have been some shortcomings in the 2006 investigation, legal representation, and court presentation. I have appealed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to form a competent investigation committee and legal team, and to approach the Supreme Court. The people of Mumbai deserve justice, Terrorists must be punished," Somaiya said.