Supreme Court Stays Bombay HC Acquittal in 2006 Mumbai Train Blasts

The Supreme Court of India has stayed the Bombay High Court's recent verdict acquitting all 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai train bomb blasts case, which killed over 180 people and injured more than 800. The Supreme Court clarified that the acquitted individuals, who had already been released, will not be re-arrested, and the High Court judgment will not be treated as a precedent in other cases. This stay was granted following a plea by the Maharashtra government, concerned that the acquittal could affect other ongoing trials under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). The accused, five of whom were sentenced to death and seven to life imprisonment by a special court in 2015, were acquitted by the High Court on the grounds that the prosecution failed to prove the case. Reactions include relief from Abdul Wahid Sheikh, the sole individual acquitted previously and advocate, who said families now have emotional reassurance despite ongoing legal battles, while BJP leader Kirit Somaiya and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar called for strong punishment and welcomed the Supreme Court’s intervention. The Maharashtra government continues to challenge the acquittal, citing procedural and evidentiary issues in their appeal.