2006 Mumbai blasts: Owaisi slams Centre, Maharashtra for filing appeal against Bombay HC order

New Delhi: AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday found fault with the Centre and Maharashtra government for filing an appeal in the Supreme Court against the Bombay High Court judgement acquitting all 12 convicts in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case.

The Hyderabad MP was reacting to the stay given by the Supreme Court on the Bombay High Court’s order.

“The court has not given any relief; it has stayed that judgment and stated that those who were released from jail after 18 years, the accused, will not be re-arrested. I want to ask the Central government and the Maharashtra government, why are you filing this appeal… when these people are not just legally innocent, but completely innocent,” Owaisi told media persons outside Parliament.

He asked the Centre and Maharashtra if they would file a similar appeal in the Malegaon blast case if the accused were acquitted by the court.

He wanted to know why the Centre did not file an appeal in the case in Mecca Masjid blast case.

“They won’t appeal in the Ajmer blast case. Terrorism should be eradicated. But, if the government will appeal based on the accused’s religion, then your fight against terrorism is compromised,” he said.

Nineteen years after the 2006 Mumbai train blasts claimed 189 lives and left over 800 people injured, the Bombay High Court on July 21 acquitted all 12 people convicted by a lower court in the serial bombing case. In 2015, a trial court had convicted these 12 accused, sentencing five of them to death and the others to life imprisonment.

Setting aside the trial court order, the high court bench of Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Shyam Chandak said the prosecution had “utterly failed” to prove the case against the accused.

Reacting to the High Court order, Owaisi had stated that 12 men were in jail for 18 years for a crime they didn’t commit, their prime life is gone, while there is no closure for 180 families who lost their loved ones and several who were injured. “Will the government take action against officers of Maharashtra ATS who investigated this case ?” he asked.

“Innocent people are sent to jail and then years later when they are released from jail there is no possibility for reconstruction of their lives. From last 17 years these accused are in jail. They haven’t stepped out even for a day. The majority of their prime life is gone,” Owaisi had posted on X.

IANS