Mumbai Train Blasts: Supreme Court stays Bombay HC verdict acquitting 12 accused

The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed Bombay High Court's judgement acquitting twelve accused persons in connection with the 2006 Mumbai train blasts.

A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh clarified that the stay order would not affect the accused persons' release from jail.

The top courts' decision came on a plea filed by the Maharashtra government following the Bombay High Court's July 21 decision to acquit twelve persons who were accused in the 2006 train blasts.

During the hearing, the Solicitor General of India (SGI) Tushar Mehta, appearing for Maharashtra, sought a stay of the Bombay High Court judgement by contending that certain findings of the said verdict will affect other cases being probed by Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

He also stated that other accused persons booked in MCOCA-related offences could use the said verdict to get relief in their cases.

The SGI also informed the top-court bench that he's not seeking that the accused persons in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts, who have been released from jail, be sent back to it.

After hearing submissions, the top court stayed the Bombay High Court's judgement while clarifying that the stay will not affect the accused persons' release.

Additionally, the top court also issued notice to all accused persons seeking their response to Maharashtra's plea against Bombay High Court's decision to acquit them.

The High Court had on Monday acquitted the twelve accused persons, noting that the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had failed to prove the offences beyond a reasonable doubt.

In doing so, the High Court set aside a September 2015 judgment of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) court that had imposed the death penalty on five of the 12 accused persons and had sentenced the remaining seven to life. 

(This story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)