Bombay High Court Acquits All 12 in 7/11 Mumbai Train Blasts Case

The Bombay High Court on Monday, July 21, 2025,  acquitted all 12 accused previously convicted in connection with the horrific 2006 Mumbai train bombings, also known as the 7/11 blasts. Court concluded that the prosecution had “utterly failed” to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The blasts, which tore through the Western Railway suburban network on July 11, 2006, claimed the lives of at least 180 commuters and left hundreds injured. Following a protracted trial under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), a special court convicted 12 accused in October 2015, five were sentenced to death and the remaining seven to life imprisonment.

The State had since appealed for confirmation of the death penalties, while the convicts challenged their convictions. The case remained before the High Court for nearly a decade, finally being expedited during 2024–2025 with hearings running day‑to‑day.

A special division bench, comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak, held that the prosecution's case rested on shaky foundations. Key witness testimonies, including those of taxi drivers and fellow commuters, were deemed unreliable, especially considering the length of time since the incident.

The bench emphasized that even alleged recoveries of bomb-making paraphernalia and maps did not link any of the accused to the blasts in a legally acceptable manner.