Supreme Court Puts Hold on Bombay High Court's Acquittal in 2006 Mumbai Bomb Blast Case

In a significant development, the Supreme Court has placed a stay on the Bombay High Court's ruling that acquitted all 12 individuals accused in the notorious 2006 Mumbai train bomb blasts case. Despite the stay, the accused will not be required to return to incarceration.

The apex court's bench, comprising Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh, issued notices to the acquitted individuals and requested their responses to the state's appeal challenging their acquittal. The Solicitor General, representing the Maharashtra government, emphasized the implications of the high court's decision on pending and future trials under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

The case stems from a series of coordinated blasts on Mumbai's local train network on July 11, 2006, which resulted in over 180 deaths. The state government contested the high court's judgment, arguing that crucial evidence, such as the recovery of RDX, was wrongfully dismissed due to technicalities.

(With inputs from agencies.)