2006 Mumbai train blasts case: Prosecution may demand death penalty for 12 convicts

A Mumbai court will hear the arguments on the quantum of punishment of the 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai blasts case today.

An MCOCA court had on Friday convicted 12 persons in the serial blasts case, nine years after seven RDX bombs kept in Mumbai suburban trains exploded killing 188 people.

According to a report in The Times of India , the prosecution is likely to seek death sentences for the convicts in the case.

The Special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) Judge Yatin D Shinde had pronounced 12 accused as guilty while acquitting one accused Abdul Wahid Shaikh (34) in the case on Friday.

The 12 accused who were convicted are: Kamal Ahamed Ansari (37), Tanvir Ahmed Ansari (37), Mohd Faisal Shaikh (36), Ehtesham Siddiqui (30), Mohammad Majid Shafi (32), Shaikh Alam Shaikh (41), Mohd Sajid Ansari (34), Muzzammil Shaikh (27), Soheil Mehmood Shaikh (43), Zamir Ahmad Shaikh (36), Naveed Hussain Khan (30) and Asif Khan (38).

The Times of India reports that while maximum punishment (death sentence) will be sought for all the five planters,and “the “more educated’’ convicts including key conspirator Tanveer Ansari, Asif Khan Bashir Khan, a civil engineering diploma holder and Mohammed Ali Shaikh, a Unani medicine seller”, the convicts who have played smaller roles may be shown leniency.

However, Azam Chima, along with 14 others, are still absconding in the case.

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had arrested the accused between 20 July, 2006 and 3 October, 2006. Out of them 11 accused had given statements admitting to their involvement in the blasts but later retracted.

The charges were framed against all the 13 accused under provisions of Indian Penal Code, Explosives Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Indian Railway Act, MCOCA and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act on 32 counts.

Meanwhile, Abdul Wahid Shaikh, the only accused to be acquitted in the case, was freed from the high-security Arthur Road jail in Mumbai on Saturday where he had been lodged for nine years since his arrest.

In the trial that lasted for eight years, the prosecution examined 192 witnesses, including eight Indian Police Service (IPS) and five Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers as well as 18 doctors. The defence lawyers examined 51 witnesses and one person was called as a court witness.

The deposition made by witnesses runs into around 5,500 pages.

Seven RDX bombs had exploded in the first class coaches of Mumbai’s suburban trains on July 11, 2006, killing 188 people and injuring 829.

The blast occurred within a span of 10 minutes between Khar Road-Santacruz, Bandra-Khar Road, Jogeshwari-Mahim Junction, Mira Road- Bhayander, Matunga- Mahim Junction and Borivali.

The MCOCA judge had concluded the trial on 19 August 2014. The examination of witnesses resumed after two years since the Supreme Court had stayed the trial in 2008.

With PTI inputs