Will Approach Higher Court, Say Kin of 7/11 Mumbai Train Blasts Convicts

After the 12 men were convicted on September 11, Wahid – along with Ataurrehman Sheikh whose elder son Faisal Sheikh was sentenced to death and his younger son Muzammil to life in jail – had met Abbas Parmar, Zahid and Naseem Shakir Merchant, a few of those affected by the blasts, seeking their support in the legal battle.

Mukhtar Ahmaed Shaikh, brother of Mohammad Ali Shaikh, said his family too will appeal in the High Court against the trial court’s verdict.

While arguing on the quantum of punishment, the special public prosecutor Raja Thakre had also revisited Sadiq’s evidence and had said that the accused, during the trial, were claiming that Indian Mujahideen co-founder Sadik Shaikh carried out the (train blast), but when he was called as a witness it (the claim) fell flat. Five people have been awarded the death sentence for planting RDX (powerful explosives) in Mumbai suburban trains that killed 188 people and injured hundreds of others.

He also said, “We will come to know the reasons of conviction only after studying the judgment, but in any case, there is complete possibility of bringing these facts before the high court while arguing the appeal and we are hopeful that the high court will consider these facts”. The Maharashtra joint secretary of the banned SIMI, Ehtesham Siddiqui, had recced local trains, transported Pakistanis to Mumbra in Thane district, was present when the bombs were made at a house in Govandi, planted the bomb which exploded in the train at Mira Road. For many, death sentences for all the accused would have been the only solace. Whatever the advocates and the accused could do, they did. “I am cent per cent sure that they (the convicts) will be acquitted by the higher courts”, he said. Of the 13 accused arrested by ATS between July 20, 2006 and October 3, 2006, 11 had given statements admitting to their involvement in the blasts but later retracted.

The Supreme Court vacated the stay on April 23, 2010. “I was harassed mentally and physically because of my arrest in this case”.

The kin of the convicts on Wednesday said they would challenge the verdict in the high court. “The real criminals behind the blasts have not been caught”.

BJP-led state govt hails court decision The state government on Thursday welcomed the court verdict, saying that it was committed to strengthen the justice delivery system in the state.

A defense attorney said he would appeal the Mumbai court verdict.