Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Jul 21: Hours after the Bombay High Court acquitted 12 men convicted in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi sharply criticized the handling of the case by Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), demanding accountability for wrongful incarceration.

Taking to social media platform X, the Hyderabad MP asked,

“Will the Government of Maharashtra take action against officers of Maharashtra ATS who investigated this case?”

The 12 Muslim men, who spent 18 years in jail, were cleared of all charges nearly two decades after the serial blasts that killed 189 people and injured over 800. A trial court in 2015 had convicted them, sentencing five to death and seven to life imprisonment.

A division bench comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak overturned the verdict on Monday, ruling that the prosecution had "utterly failed" to prove the case.

Owaisi, reacting to the verdict, said:

“Innocent people are sent to jail, and then years later, when they are released, there is no possibility for reconstruction of their lives. The majority of their prime life is gone.”

He also highlighted systemic flaws in how terror cases are handled:

“In such cases, where there is a public outcry, police first assume guilt. Officers hold press conferences and the media coverage often convicts the accused in the public eye.”

The AIMIM chief questioned not only the ATS but also the political leadership in Maharashtra in 2006, accusing them of ignoring allegations of torture and allowing a flawed narrative to flourish.

“Please remember which parties were ruling Maharashtra in 2006. They are responsible for disregarding complaints of torture, and of course, the 6pm and 9pm so-called ‘nationalists’ who passed judgments on guilt.”

Citing the personal tragedies that unfolded while the accused were imprisoned, Owaisi recounted the story of Mohammed Majid, whose wife died without ever speaking to him again. He also shared that the father of Faisal and Muzammil, two brothers among the acquitted, died of a heart attack after hearing the trial court’s harsh verdict. Their mother passed away in 2023.

With the court's acquittal raising serious questions about investigative accountability and justice delivery, Owaisi's remarks have reignited debate over reforms in terror investigations, wrongful arrests, and compensations for the wrongfully accused.