2006 Train Blast: Owaisi Blames Police for Failed Probe
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticises police and media over wrongful convictions in 2006 blasts case; Bombay High Court cites lack of evidence in acquitting all 12 men.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday reacted sharply to the Bombay High Court’s acquittal of 12 men previously convicted in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case, calling it a damning indictment of the criminal justice system and a failure of investigative agencies.
“Twelve Muslim men were in jail for 18 years for a crime they didn’t commit. Their prime years are gone. The 180 families who lost loved ones, the many injured—there is no closure for them,” Owaisi said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “Will the government take action against the Maharashtra ATS officers who investigated this case?” he asked.
On Friday, the Bombay High Court overturned the 2015 convictions by a special MCOCA court, which had sentenced five men to death and seven others to life imprisonment. The division bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak held that the prosecution had “utterly failed” to prove the charges and noted that the evidence—including alleged recoveries and witness statements—lacked credibility.
The 2006 blasts, among the deadliest in Mumbai’s history, saw seven pressure-cooker bombs explode in first-class compartments of suburban trains on the Western line during peak evening hours on July 11. The attacks killed 189 people and injured over 800.
Owaisi said the case highlights a systemic flaw in how terror cases are handled. “In such high-profile cases with public outcry, police often begin investigations by presuming guilt. They hold press conferences, and the media coverage shapes a narrative of guilt even before a trial begins,” he said.
He further alleged that the ruling parties in Maharashtra at the time had ignored allegations of torture by the accused. “Innocent people are often jailed, and years later, when they’re acquitted, there’s no system to help them rebuild their lives. These 12 men didn’t step out of jail even once in 17 years,” he added.
Calling it one among many instances where investigative agencies have “failed miserably,” Owaisi demanded accountability from the Maharashtra government and justice for both the wrongfully imprisoned and the victims of the 2006 blasts.
