July 2006 Mumbai Train Blasts: A Call for Justice

The Bombay High Court heard arguments this week urging the acquittal of individuals convicted in the July 2006 Mumbai train blasts case. Advocates argued the accused are victims of biased investigations, having been imprisoned for 18 years despite insufficient evidence. The court's decision remains pending.

At the Bombay High Court on Monday, senior counsel S Muralidhar called for the acquittal of individuals convicted in connection with the July 11, 2006, Mumbai train blasts, highlighting the 18 years they have already spent in jail. Muralidhar, representing two of those sentenced to life imprisonment, alleged a systemic bias in how investigating agencies handle terror-related cases.

The July 2006 blasts claimed over 180 lives, leading to the conviction of 12 individuals in 2015, five receiving the death penalty and seven life sentences. The Maharashtra government has appealed for confirmation of the death sentences, while the accused challenge their convictions, citing coerced confessions.

Muralidhar accused the Maharashtra ATS of extracting confessions through torture and argued that these biases impact the reconstructive possibilities for the wrongly convicted victims and their families. His call for justice continues, with public prosecutor Raja Thakare poised to present counter-arguments soon.

(With inputs from agencies.)