Mumbai
The Bombay High Court on Monday gave a historic verdict in the case of the horrific Mumbai local train blasts held on 11 July 2006. The High Court has acquitted 11 out of 12 accused convicted by the lower court in this case. An accused died during the appeal process. This decision has come after 19 years.
The Special Bench of the High Court said in the judgment that ‘the evidences presented in the case were not reliable’ and ‘The testimony of many witnesses was under suspicion’. The court also admitted that the accused were forcibly questioned and their statements were taken, which are not valid.
The court said, ‘Prosecution failed completely’
The court said that the evidence presented against the accused had serious flaws. Defense arguments of challenging the identity parade were considered justified. Some witnesses remained silent for years and then suddenly identified the accused, which is ‘unusual’. Many witnesses had also appeared earlier in such cases, which raised questions on their credibility. No strong scientific evidence was presented regarding the recovery of alleged RDX and other materials.
‘The evidence was not strong’
The court said, ‘Testifying, investigation and evidence were not strong. The accused were successful in proving that they were forced to confess. The judges said, ‘We have done our duty. It was our responsibility. At the same time, the convicts associated with video conferencing were seen crying from the jails of Amravati, Nashik, Nagpur and Pune. Nobody expressed happiness, everyone had tears in his eyes.
Government lawyer told the verdict ‘guide’
Senior Advocate Yuga Mohit Chaudhary, who appeared on behalf of the accused in this case, said, ‘This decision is a ray of hope for all who have been waiting for justice for years.’ Public lawyer Raja Thakarare also described the verdict as a ‘guide’.