El Tribunal Supremo suspendió el jueves el veredicto del Tribunal Superior de Bombay que absolvía a los 12 acusados en el caso de las explosiones de bombas en los trenes de Mumbai en 2006.
Un tribunal compuesto por los jueces MM Sundresh y N. Kotiswar Singh declaró que la sentencia del Tribunal Superior no debía considerarse un precedente y notificó a todos los acusados en el caso. Sin embargo, el tribunal no suspendió la liberación de los acusados.
Los acontecimientos se produjeron mientras el tribunal superior escuchaba una petición del gobierno de Maharashtra que impugnaba el veredicto del Tribunal Superior.
Más de 180 personas murieron en las siete explosiones de bombas que destrozaron distintos trenes locales de Bombay en un lapso de 11 minutos el 11 de julio de 2006. El lunes, el Tribunal Superior absolvió a los 12 acusados, argumentando que la fiscalía había fracasado rotundamente en probar el caso y que era “difícil creer que el acusado cometiera el delito”.
Al comparecer en representación del gobierno de Maharashtra ante el tribunal superior, el Procurador General Tushar Mehta solicitó una suspensión del veredicto, pero no presionó para que se suspendiera la liberación de las personas absueltas.
“Busco una suspensión, no que vuelvan a la cárcel. Ciertas disposiciones legales afectarán el juicio de la Ley de Control de la Delincuencia Organizada de Maharashtra (MCOCA). Podrían considerar que no sean necesarios en prisión”, dijo.
The court said since all the accused were released, there was no question of sending them back to the prison. “However, on submissions of learned SG, the impugned judgment will not be treated as precedent,” it said.
Justice Sundresh said he read the case files and learnt that some of the accused are Pakistani nationals.
In its order earlier this week, the High Court bench of Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Shyam Chandak set aside a September 2015 judgment of the MCOCA court that had imposed the death penalty on five of the 12 accused persons and had sentenced the remaining seven to life.
“The prosecution has utterly failed to prove the case against the accused. It is hard to believe that the accused committed the crime. Hence, their conviction is quashed and set aside,” it said.
The court also said the explosives, arms and maps recovered during the investigation appeared to be unrelated to the blasts. The prosecution, it said, could not even prove what kind of bombs were used in the blasts. It subsequently ordered the release of all the accused if they are not wanted in any other case.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had described the acquittals as “shocking”. “I have discussed with the lawyers, and the high court verdict will be challenged in the Supreme Court,” he said.
Rigged pressure cookers were used for the bombings to amplify the damage caused in 2006. The first blast occurred at 6.24 pm – rush hour due to people returning from work – and the last at 6.35 pm. The bombs were placed in first-class compartments of trains from Churchgate. They exploded near the stations of Matunga Road, Mahim Junction, Bandra, Khar Road, Jogeshwari, Bhayandar and Borivali.
In 2015, the special court of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act sentenced Faisal Sheikh, Asif Khan, Kamal Ansari, Ehtesham Sidduqui and Naveed Khan to death. Seven other convicts Mohammed Sajid Ansari, Mohammed Ali, Dr Tanveer Ansari, Majid Shafi, Muzzammil Shaikh, Sohail Shaikh and Zamir Shaikh were sentenced to life imprisonment for being a part of the conspiracy.