On July 21, 2025, the Bombay High Court acquitted all 12 individuals previously convicted in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, one of the most devastating terror attacks in India’s history. The coordinated blasts on July 11, 2006, targeted Mumbai’s suburban rail network, killing 189 people and injuring over 800.
The court stated that the prosecution had failed to provide conclusive evidence linking the accused to the attacks. Key individuals such as Kamal Ansari and Faisal Shaikh, convicted in 2015 based on forensic evidence and mobile tower records, were among those released.
Defence lawyer Tahera Qureshi welcomed the verdict, reiterating that her clients had consistently claimed innocence over the last 19 years. The acquittal has sparked a nationwide conversation, with public opinion sharply divided.
Some, including Mumbai locals and political voices like Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora, criticized the decision, saying it denies closure to victims’ families and erodes confidence in the justice system. Others argue that the acquittal corrects a possible miscarriage of justice and highlights systemic issues in terrorism investigations.
The case also casts a spotlight on the broader challenges facing India’s counterterrorism protocols and judicial reliability. Experts are urging reforms in evidence collection and legal processes to ensure that justice is both swift and fair, particularly in cases involving national security.
This development also comes at a time of delicate geopolitical dynamics, especially after renewed U.S.-Pakistan engagements. As the country reflects nearly two decades after the blasts, the verdict underscores the complex tension between national security, legal integrity, and human rights in India’s fight against terrorism.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, July 21st, 2025
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