Mumbai, July 21 (IANS) Families of those accused in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case on Monday have hailed the Bombay High Court’s landmark verdict, calling it a long-awaited moment of justice and vindication. After nearly two decades of legal battles and emotional turmoil, the families said their prayers were finally answered.

The Bombay High Court acquitted all 12 men who were convicted by a lower court in connection with the July 11, 2006, serial train blasts that shook Mumbai, killing 189 people and injuring over 800. The decision overturned the 2015 ruling by a special court that had sentenced five of them to death and the rest to life imprisonment.

IANS reached out to several families of the acquitted men, who expressed a mix of overwhelming relief, emotional catharsis, and deep gratitude towards the judiciary.

Zameer Shaikh’s brother, who was jailed for years in the case, said through tears of joy, “We were moved beyond words. We had been hoping for this day since 2015. Back then, we were heartbroken, but we never gave up. Today, the court has upheld the truth. This was a completely fabricated case – our brother was innocent.”

Maqsood Ansari, brother of Tanvir Ansari, echoed similar sentiments.

“We were expecting this justice for years. We knew from the beginning that this was a bogus case. There was no evidence, no link between the accused and the crime. We were not satisfied with the 2015 verdict, so we went to the High Court. Thank God and thank the judiciary – today, our family feels free again,” he told IANS.

“I especially want to thank Wahid Sheikh, who stood strong and never gave up. We always believed the truth would come out.”

Wahid Sheikh, who was also arrested in the 2006 case but was acquitted in 2015, recalled the harrowing journey.

“In 2006, 13 of us were arrested by the ATS. I was among them. What followed was nine years of torture, false confessions, and fabricated evidence. In 2015, I was honourably acquitted, but 12 others were convicted – five sentenced to death, and seven to life. The case then went to the High Court, where it continued for another ten years,” he said.

“Today, the court has acquitted them all. It is the ultimate validation of what we’ve been saying all along – that we were innocent. The ATS built a false case, tortured us, and tried to destroy our lives. Now, after 19 long years, the truth has won. My brother-in-law, Sajid Ansari, who had been serving a life sentence in Nashik Jail, has also been acquitted,” he added.

The verdict was delivered by a division bench of Justice Anil Kilor and Justice S.G. Chandak, who ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. With this judgment, the High Court has not only overturned the earlier sentences handed out by the special court but also dealt a severe blow to the credibility of the investigating agencies involved in the case.

Out of the 13 men originally arrested, one – Wahid Sheikh – was acquitted by the special court in 2015. With Monday’s ruling, all remaining 12 have now been cleared of all charges and are expected to be released from custody immediately.

The 2006 blasts, one of the deadliest terror attacks in Mumbai’s history, involved seven synchronised explosions aboard local trains on the Western Line, between Churchgate and Borivali, during evening rush hour. The bombs – made from a deadly mix of RDX and ammonium nitrate – were packed in pressure cookers and concealed in bags.

Forensic teams had confirmed the use of these materials during their investigation, but over time, questions were raised about the credibility of the evidence and the method of investigation.

–IANS

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