Justice M.M. Sundresh, Justice N. Kotishwar Singh , Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court Stays Law Laid Down By High Court In 2006 Mumbai Train Blast Case
|The Court, while hearing the matter, said the High Court judgment cannot be treated as a precedent and noted that some of the accused are Pakistani nationals who remain absconding.
The Supreme Court today issued notice on a plea filed by the Maharashtra Government challenging the Bombay High Court’s judgment acquitting all 12 convicts in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case and directed that the judgment shall not be treated as a precedent.
A Bench of Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh heard the matter. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared on behalf of the State of Maharashtra.
At the outset, the Solicitor General submitted, “It is against the order of acquittal... I am seeking stay of the order, not to bring them back to jail... there are certain findings which will affect all of our MCOCA trials.”
Justice Sundresh responded, “We will issue notice... and we will stay the judgment, it cannot be read as a precedent.”
The Bench ordered, “We are informed all respondents are released and therefore, no question of bringing them back. However, on submissions of learned Solicitor General, the impugned judgment will not be treated as precedent.”
During the hearing, Justice Sundresh also remarked, “We read some of the accused are Pakistani Nationals...” and further observed, “They are absconding... how to track them…”
The Court accordingly directed issuance of notice in the main matter.
Background
On July 11, 2006, seven bomb blasts ripped through Mumbai’s suburban trains within a span of 11 minutes during the evening rush hour, killing 189 people and injuring over 800. A special court under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) convicted 12 men in 2015, sentencing five to death and the remaining seven to life imprisonment. One accused was acquitted, and another died during the trial.
In a verdict delivered on July 22, 2025, the Bombay High Court acquitted all 12, holding that the prosecution had “utterly failed” to establish their guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The Bench of Justice Anil S Kilor and JusticeShyam C Chandak also directed their release, observing that no other cases required their continued custody. The Maharashtra Government did not seek a stay on the judgment’s operation and subsequently approached the Supreme Court challenging the acquittal.