New Delhi: On July 21, the Bombay high court acquitted 12 individuals implicated in the Mumbai train blast case, among whom five had received death sentences and seven were sentenced to life imprisonment. However, the high court has now cleared all 12 of them. The court stated that the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) failed to establish the guilt of the accused.

On July 11, 2006, bomb explosions occurred in local trains at multiple locations in Mumbai. These 12 individuals had been incarcerated for the past 19 years on these charges. In 2015, a special court upheld the charges against them, leading to their convictions. Wahid Sheikh, one of the accused, was released as the court found no substantial evidence against him.

In response to the 2015 Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court's ruling, a petition seeking the release of all 12 accused was submitted to the high court. On July 21, a special bench comprising Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Shyam Chandak delivered the verdict acquitting all 12 individuals.

Among those acquitted is 48-year-old Sajid Ansari, a resident of Mira Road, who was arrested in 2006. Speaking to The Wire Hindi, Sajid stated, "I am an electrical engineer, and thus the ATS accused me, leading to my arrest."

Sajid further mentioned that he spent 18.5 years behind bars, during which time his mother and two sisters passed away. When he was arrested, his wife was pregnant, and at a moment when his family needed him the most, he was imprisoned. Three months after his imprisonment, his wife gave birth to their daughter.

Sajid said that he was unable to meet his daughter for 18 and a half years. He added that during his long incarceration, he was allowed to leave jail only twice and each time for a few hours – once for his mother's funeral and once for his sister's.

During this period, the family's financial situation was significantly impacted. Sajid stated, "I have two brothers. Both of them supported my family, but there was a time when only one brother was earning while the other was fully occupied with my case. While I was incarcerated, the responsibility of supporting my family entirely fell on my brothers."

Sajid asserts that the police were unable to find any evidence against him. He described the entire case as fabricated, claiming that the police attempted to ensnare him due to his profession as an electrical engineer. "The police seized some electrical materials from my residence and attempted to portray me as an expert in creating bombs and explosives," he explained.

According to Sajid, the court has rendered a decision rooted in justice.

The Maharashtra government has approached the Supreme Court against all the acquitted defendants. However, Sajid expressed complete confidence in the Indian judiciary, believing that just as the high court provided relief to all the accused, the Supreme Court will also deliver a verdict based on justice and factual evidence.

Sajid began studying law while imprisoned and is currently a final-year law student. Questioning the actions of the police and the government, Sajid remarked that the reason the administration targets innocent individuals daily is that it seeks to conceal the true culprits.

"I was targeted because I am a Muslim, and the government's intentions towards Muslims are evident. We were subjected to various anti-Muslim and anti-Islamic slurs in jail and we faced torture during interrogations. Nevertheless, I have always maintained hope in the Indian judiciary, and my faith remains unwavering," he stated.

Owais Siddiqui is a freelance journalist. Translated by Nausheen Rehman from the Hindi original.

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