Bombay HC Acquits 12 in 2006 Mumbai Train Blasts, Cites Inhumane Torture

22nd July 2025 at 9:30 AM

1 minute read

The Bombay High Court on Monday acquitted all 12 men who were convicted of the 2006 Mumbai train bombings that killed 189 people and injured over 800.

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has overturned the convictions of all 12 individuals accused in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, declaring the confessions obtained by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) as unreliable due to severe torture. The court described the treatment of the accused as “barbaric and inhuman,” highlighting methods such as forcing suspects to endure extreme physical pain, sleep deprivation, and psychological coercion. Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak, in their ruling, emphasized that such confessions, extracted under duress, were inadmissible.

The court detailed the brutal tactics allegedly used by the ATS, including splitting legs 180 degrees, tying individuals to chairs overnight, withholding food, and subjecting them to degrading acts like placing insects and rodents in their clothing, alongside physical beatings. The judges referenced historical precedents to underscore the invalidity of coerced confessions, noting evidence of police brutality dating back to 1817.

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The prosecution’s case unraveled further due to procedural flaws in applying the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). The court also questioned the credibility of witness testimonies and the validity of identification parades, which were marred by unauthorized procedures. Medical and other evidence corroborated the torture claims, particularly those of Kamal Ansari, the primary accused who died in prison in 2021. The court noted Ansari’s allegations of threats by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, who reportedly vowed to ruin his life and family.

The 2006 Mumbai train bombings, which killed 189 people and injured over 800, targeted first-class compartments of suburban trains during the evening rush hour. The acquittal of all accused has left the case unresolved, with the court ruling that the prosecution failed to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.