Nagpur – Two of the twelve men acquitted by the Bombay High Court in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case were released from Nagpur Central Jail on Monday evening, bringing a significant turn in the nearly two-decade-old case.
Among those released were Ehtesham Siddiqui, who had earlier been sentenced to death by the trial court in 2015, and Mohammad Ali, who was serving a life term. Jail authorities confirmed their release following the court’s order that overturned the earlier convictions.
A jail official also noted that Naveed Khan, another acquitted individual, remains lodged in a Mumbai jail as he faces trial in a separate attempt to murder case.
The 7/11 blasts, which rocked Mumbai’s suburban railway network on July 11, 2006, led to the deaths of over 180 people and left hundreds injured. The bombings were carried out on seven trains during peak hours, shaking the nation and prompting a lengthy investigation and trial.
After 19 years, the Bombay High Court acquitted all 12 accused, observing that the prosecution failed to establish a credible chain of evidence. The judgment noted that it was “hard to believe the accused committed the crime,” casting serious doubt on the earlier convictions.
The release from Nagpur Central Jail has once again put the spotlight on the integrity of the initial investigation and the prolonged judicial process.