12 convicted for involvement in 7/11 Mumbai train blasts; 1 acquitted

Mumbai: A special MCOCA court on Friday convicted 12 of the 13 accused for their involvement in the July 11, 2006 Mumbai suburban train bombings in which 188 people were killed.

Those held guilty in the case by Special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court judge Yatin D Shinde include Kamal Ahamed Ansari (37), Tanvir Ahmed Ansari (37), Mohd Faisal Shaikh (36), Ehtesham Siddiqui (30), Mohammad Majid Shafi (32), Shaikh Alam Shaikh (41), Mohd Sajid Ansari (34), Muzzammil Shaikh (27), Soheil Mehmood Shaikh (43), Zamir Ahmad Shaikh (36), Naveed Hussain Khan (30) and Asif Khan (38).

Only one accused, Abdul Wahid Shaikh (34), was acquitted by the court.

The quantum of punishment in the case will be pronounced on September 14.

All the 13 accused were believed to be SIMI operatives and were arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).

The trial in the 7/11 Mumbai train blasts case was concluded on August 19 last year, eight years after the attack in which seven RDX bombs kept in Mumbai local trains went off in a span of few minutes.

During the trial, the prosecution had examined 192 witnesses, including eight IPS and five IAS officers as well as 18 doctors. The defence lawyers had examined 51 witnesses and one person was called as a court witness.

The deposition made by witnesses ran into around 5,500 pages.

Seven RDX bombs had exploded in the first class coaches of Mumbai's suburban trains on July 11, 2006, killing 188 people and injuring 829.

The blast occurred between Khar Road-Santacruz, Bandra-Khar Road, Jogeshwari-Mahim Junction, Mira Road-Bhayander, Matunga-Mahim Junction and Borivali.

Accused Azam Chima, along with 14 others, is still absconding.

Examination of witnesses had resumed after two years since the Supreme Court had stayed the trial in 2008.

Before the stay, the prosecution had already examined a police officer. The Supreme Court vacated the stay on April 23, 2010.

(With agency inputs)

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