Mumbai, July 21 (Reporter) In a judicial verdict that has sent shockwaves through the legal community, the Bombay High Court on Monday acquitted all 12 suspects previously convicted in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case, declaring that the prosecution had "utterly failed" to establish their guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The judgment, delivered 19 years after the terror attack that claimed over 180 lives and left hundreds injured, was pronounced by a special bench comprising justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak. The bench categorically stated that the evidence presented was insufficient to sustain convictions, observing it was "hard to believe that the accused committed the crime." The court quashed both the death sentences awarded to five individuals and life imprisonment terms given to the remaining seven. The horrific incident occurred on July 11, 2006, when seven coordinated bomb explosions ripped through Mumbai's suburban railway network during evening rush hour, targeting first-class compartments of Western Railway trains. The blasts occurred over an 11-minute span (6:24 pm to 6:35 pm) at locations including Khar Road-Santacruz, Bandra-Khar Road, Jogeshwari-Mahim Junction, Mira Road-Bhayander, Matunga-Mahim Junction, and Borivali. Pressure cooker bombs designed to maximize casualties killed 189 people and injured over 700. Following an extensive investigation by Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), a special MCOCA court convicted all twelve defendants in September 2015. Five – Ehtesham Qutbuddin Siddiqui, Kamal Ansari, Faisal Atta-ur-Rehman Sheikh, Asif Bashir, and Naveed Hussain – received death sentences. Seven others – Muhammad Ali Sheikh, Sohail Sheikh, Zameer Latif-ur-Rehman, Dr. Tanveer, Muzammil Atta-ur-Rehman Sheikh, Majid Shafi, and Sajid Marghub Ansari – were sentenced to life imprisonment. The High Court's review exposed fundamental flaws in the prosecution's case. The bench criticized unreliable witnesses, questionable test identification parades, and concerns that confessional statements were extracted through torture. Noting witnesses remained silent for over four years before suddenly identifying accused – described as "abnormal" – the court highlighted one witness who testified in multiple unrelated cases (including Ghatkopar blasts), severely undermining credibility. The scathing assessment further noted the prosecution's failure to establish even basic facts, including the specific bomb type used. Witness statements and alleged recoveries were deemed to have "no evidentiary value," making it "unsafe to reach the satisfaction that the appellant accused have committed the offence." The defence, led by the Legal Aid Committee of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra, featured advocates Yog Mohit Choudhary, S Naga Mathu, Muralidhar, Nithya Ramakrishnan, Abdul Wahab Khan, Ansar Tanboli, Guru Bhavani, Aditya Mehta, Shahid Nadeem, and Bilal. Senior Advocate Choudhary hailed the verdict: "The victory of justice will increase public faith in the justice system." Jamiat general secretary Maulana Haleemullah Qasmi welcomed the decision. The acquitted individuals appearing via video conference from Maharashtra jails expressed gratitude to their legal team. The court ordered immediate release unless required in other criminal cases, directing each to execute personal bonds of Rs 25,000. The original investigation had linked the attacks to banned Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and Pakistan-based terror groups, alleging main conspirator Mohammed Faisal Shaikh (Lashkar-e-Taiba's Mumbai chief) received hawala funding. These claims failed judicial scrutiny. The verdict marks a significant setback for Maharashtra ATS, embarrassing the state's anti-terror apparatus and underscoring the critical need for legally admissible evidence over circumstantial or coerced testimony. The 2006 bombings remain among India's deadliest railway attacks, targeting packed commuter trains during peak hours to inflict maximum casualties and psychological trauma...////...