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2006 Mumbai local train blasts: All 12 convicted by MCOCA court 7/11 case set free by High Court: Read what happened between then and now

Anurag
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2006 Mumbai local train blasts: All 12 convicted by MCOCA court 7/11 case set free by High Court: Read what happened between then and now

On 21st July, the Bombay High Court acquitted all 12 individuals who were earlier found guilty in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case. In 2015, a special MCOCA Court had sentenced five of them to death and the remaining to life imprisonment.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Shyam Chandak gave the judgment. They observed that the majority of the evidence and statements of witnesses were not trustworthy.

OpIndia accessed both the MCOCA Court judgment from 2015 and the Bombay High Court judgment from 21st July 2025 to create a timeline of the events, trials, appeal in the High Court and finally the current judgment.

The evening that shook Mumbai

On 11th July 2006, the city of Mumbai was struck by a series of coordinated bomb blasts that targeted its life, the suburban railway network. Between 6:24 PM and 6:28 PM, seven powerful explosions occurred inside first-class compartments of local trains on the Western Railway line. The blasts took place at or near the stations of Matunga Road, Mahim, Bandra, Khar, Jogeshwari, Borivali, and Mira Road, affecting trains bound for both Churchgate and Virar. As the blasts took place at peak hours, there were thousands of commuters in the trains at the time of the incident.

According to the court documents, each bomb was placed inside a pressure cooker and hidden in black Rexine bags. The bags were reportedly kept in overhead luggage racks of the first-class compartments. The explosives were made of RDX and ammonium nitrate, combined with ball bearings to maximise the damage. Timer devices were reportedly used to synchronise the blasts.

Government records stated that 187 people lost their lives and 829 others sustained injuries of varying severity. The compartments were completely destroyed. Bodies were scattered across platforms and tracks. FIRs were registered at Railway Police Stations at Borivali, Bandra, Mahim, Khar, Matunga Road, and Jogeshwari based on the location of each incident.

As the scale and precision of the attacks was of massive scale, the authorities suspected a larger conspiracy. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) took over the investigation the next day. The manner in which the bombs were planted and the locations were selected suggested there was meticulous planning behind the attacks. In the detailed findings, the trial court later described the event as a deliberate attempt to cause mass casualties and terror, executed during peak hours when the trains were most crowded.

Cases filed across Mumbai, ATS takes over the probe

In the immediate aftermath of the serial bomb blasts on 11th July 2006, multiple FIRs were registered. Each of them was registered under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326, 324, 120B (criminal conspiracy), and 427 of the Indian Penal Code, along with provisions under the Indian Railways Act, Explosives Substances Act, and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

The ATS later clubbed the FIRs for investigation under a common conspiracy based on the interlinked nature and scale of the attacks. A consolidated case was registered by the ATS Kalachowki Unit, Mumbai, and the case was treated as a single, large conspiracy spanning multiple locations and involving organised crime syndicates.

The judgment recorded that during the investigation, the ATS invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). On 30th September 2006, the competent authority sanctioned the application of MCOCA against all accused. Later, based on further sanction dated 11th January 2007, other specialised laws, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, were applied.

Detailed technical analysis was carried out by the ATS, including forensic examination of blast sites, recovery of explosive materials, and post-blast residue analysis. Over time, the investigation led to the arrest of 13 individuals, most of them from Maharashtra and neighbouring states. Several others were reported absconding during the trial. Several accused were said to be members of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and had purported links with Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives from Pakistan. According to the judgment, the prosecution’s case relied heavily on confessional statements recorded under MCOCA, forensic recovery, witness testimonies, and disclosures made during police custody. The ATS said that the conspiracy was planned across the border in Pakistan and executed with local logistical help.

The long trial and 2015 convictions

Formal trial proceedings began after the filing of the consolidated chargesheet in the ATS Kalachowki case in the Special MCOCA Court. Charges were framed against 13 accused under a wide range of laws, including the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosives Act, the Railways Act, and the Passport Act.

The first chargesheet was filed on 30th November 2006 and the final verdict came almost a decade later on 11th September 2015. During this period, the court examined 192 prosecution witnesses, including eyewitnesses, medical officers, forensic experts, ATS officers, and panch witnesses. The evidence included site reports, medical post-mortem documentation, seizure panchanamas, forensic lab reports, and statements made under MCOCA provisions.

The prosecution’s case centred around a conspiracy hatched in Pakistan between the operatives of LeT and Indian members of SIMI. The court noted that the accused persons had reportedly undergone training in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and later assisted in assembling bombs, conducting recces of train stations, and transporting the explosives. Pressure cookers filled with RDX and ammonium nitrate were allegedly prepared in a rented room in Govandi and then planted on seven different trains departing Churchgate that evening.

Confessional statements recorded under MCOCA were heavily relied upon. While many of these were later retracted, the trial court, after a detailed analysis, admitted them as valid under the special law. The court also admitted material evidence showing the procurement of pressure cookers, travel of accused to various training and execution locations, and circumstantial evidence that allegedly linked them to the blasts.

The court convicted 12 accused namely Kamruddin S Ansari, Ehtesham K Siddiqui, Faisal M Shaikh, Zeeshan M Siddiqui, Sohail S Shaikh, Asif A Khan, Mohammad Sajid Ansari, Majid S Shafi, Muzammil S Shaikh, Tanvir R Ansari, Navin A Khan, and Sharif A Khan. The only accused acquitted was Abdul Wahid Shaikh due to lack of admissible evidence. Five of them were handed death sentences and the remaining received life imprisonment.

The court observed that the blasts were not only a brutal act of terrorism but also an attack on the sovereignty of the nation. It accepted the prosecution’s case of a meticulously planned operation and concluded that the accused played direct and active roles in its execution.

Post-conviction – Appeals filed, legal battle and the acquittal

Following the judgment in 2015, multiple appeals were filed in the Bombay High Court. After another decade, on 21st July 2025, the Bombay High Court overturned the 2015 conviction of the 12 accused. The Division Bench acquitted all the accused and stated that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The High Court noted that the judgment was passed after re-examination of the trial court record, including witness testimonies, forensic reports, confessional statements, and procedural compliance. Notably, the prosecution’s case heavily relied on confessional statements recorded under Section 18 of the MCOCA. While such confessions are admissible under the special law, the High Court noted on several instances in the judgment that confessions alone were not sufficient. The court reiterated that confessions, especially those made in police custody, cannot form the sole basis of conviction unless supported by independent and credible evidence. According to the High Court judgment, that evidentiary support was missing in this case.

Notably, the court raised serious doubts about the authenticity and voluntariness of these confessions by highlighting an unusual pattern. Several confessions shared identical content, including the sequence of names and descriptions of events. The Bench noted it was “shocked” by the extent of similarity and even suggested that portions appeared to have been “copied”. The court observed that it was “beyond the realm of reasonable imagination” that such identical narration would occur naturally.

Source: Bombay High Court

The prosecution also cited recoveries of pressure cookers, ammonium nitrate, timers, SIM cards, and other materials, allegedly made at the instance of the accused. However, the court observed that these items were not conclusively linked to the devices used in the blasts. In some instances, materials were recovered from easily accessible or common spaces, further reducing their evidentiary weight. Forensic reports too did not bridge the gap between the recoveries and the materials used in the actual explosions.

In the judgment, the court stated that the prosecution had failed to bring a single piece of evidence on record to directly connect the accused to the crime. The observation was made in the context of the prosecution’s inability to produce or preserve Call Data Records (CDRs) that could have established the movement and presence of the accused around the time of the blasts. The court called it a “grave violation of the right to a fair trial” and invoked adverse inference under Section 114(g) of the Indian Evidence Act.

Source: Bombay High Court

The investigating agencies told the court that as the mobile phones were not in the names of the accused, CDRs were not relied upon. The defence sought access to CDRs, but it was denied. By the time it was allowed, the period for preserving the CDRs had lapsed.

The court further pointed out that the assertions of international linkage required a far more rigorous evidentiary foundation, especially in cases involving terrorism and national security. The court noted that even if visits to Pakistan were assumed to have occurred, there was no evidence to connect that alleged training to the actual commission of the 7/11 bomb blasts. The court held that the mere fact of travel or training abroad could not establish guilt unless supported by material proof linking those actions directly to the blasts. As the prosecution failed to prove the offence on other grounds as well, the court concluded that the question of whether the accused visited Pakistan became irrelevant in the absence of such corroborative evidence.

Source: Bombay High Court

Several of the prosecution witnesses were declared hostile. Some witness testimonies, while recorded, lacked corroboration or legal weight, and did not ultimately strengthen the prosecution’s case. The court also deemed several testimonies unreliable. For instance, in case of witness number PW-59, Alam Gulam Qureshi, said in his testimony that accused no 3, Mohammed Faisal Shaikh, told him that he was a Jihadist and had gone to Pakistan for arms training by the LeT. Despite the seriousness of the disclosure, the witness did not “think of immediately alerting the police not he disclosed that fact to anyone till October 2006.” The witness was aware that the accused was arrested in connection with the bomb blasts. The court said, “Thus, this inordinate delay in disclosure, in itself, renders PW-59 as a wholly unreliable witness and so his testimony.”

Source: Bombay High Court

While Indian courts are well within their rights to convict based purely on circumstantial evidence if the chain of events is strong, consistent, and points unmistakably to guilt, in this case, the High Court chose not to rely on that route. Despite multiple pieces of circumstantial evidence that the prosecution believed formed a clear pattern and the trial court relied on, the High Court remained unconvinced that that evidence legally connected.

Without dismissing the seriousness of the offence or denying that a conspiracy did occur, the judges ruled that the burden of proof was not met as per the standards of criminal law. As a result, all 12 men, once convicted for one of the deadliest terror attacks in Mumbai’s history, now walk free.

While the prosecution laid out a detailed case, the High Court found that it failed to satisfy legal thresholds of admissibility and proof. The accused were not acquitted because the crime did not happen, but because the prosecution could not connect them to it with the rigour the law demands.

Agra conversion racket: Piyush Panwar became Mohammad Ali for a girl, she rejected him after converting him, he then joined the conversion mafia to convert others

OpIndia Staff
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Agra conversion racket: Piyush Panwar became Mohammad Ali for a girl, she rejected him after converting him, he then joined the conversion mafia to convert others

The Uttar Pradesh police has nabbed 10 individuals under “Mission Asmita” in a conversion racket case from six different states. The racket was based out of Agra in Uttar Pradesh. One of the accused arrested in the case is Mohammad Ali, who was arrested from Rajasthan.

Mohammad Ali, arrested in the pan-India religious conversion racket case has now declared his intention to do “ghar wapsi” and return to the fold of Hinduism, reported NDTV. The accused even claimed to be himself a victim as well.

According to sources, Mohammad Ali broke down during the interrogation in Agra jail and requested that he wants to go back home. Furthermore, he highlighted his intention to return to being a Hindu. Ali even expressed his wish to apologise to his parents, who severed their relationship with him following his conversion to Islam.

Piyush Panwar becomes Mohammad Ali for a girl

Piyush Panwar’s drastic journey to becoming Mohammad Ali began in 2021 when he met a young woman named Shana from Tonk, Rajasthan. They decided to marry after falling in love. However, the girl asserted that he must embrace Islam to which he consented and changed his name to Mohammad Ali. However, she rejected him after that. Following which, Mohammad Ali (earlier known as Piyush Panwar) married a Muslim girl from Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly.

Ali met Mohammad Gaus, a member of the banned terror group PFI on his way to become a Muslim. The latter introduced him to Kalim Siddiqui, a Delhi cleric who was found guilty in a different conversion case last year.

Mohammad Ali then travelled to West Bengal to receive religious education. He spent three months at the madarsas in Asansol, Bardhaman and Katwapara. He then connected with Ayesha, a Goan woman, who has also been arrested in the conversion case, on Instagram approximately a year ago. Her name was SB Krishna before she converted to Islam. She used to keep track of the names of the girls who had converted to Islam. He even unveiled that their network is affiliated with Popular Front of India (PFI) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).

The shocking findings

Hasan Ali and Osama from Kolkata, Rahman Qureshi from Agra, Abu Talib from Muzaffarnagar (Uttar Pradesh), Abdur Rehman from Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Mohammad Ali and Junaid Qureshi from Rajasthan and Mustafa from Delhi have been arrested by the cops in the case.

Notably, Shekhar Roy alias Hasan Ali, Hrithik Banik also known as Mohammad Ibrahim, Rupendra Singh identified as Abdur Rehman and Manoj referred to as Mustafa also converted from Hinduism to Islam.

The police disclosed that they were systematically pushing the impoverished, marginalized and socially disadvantaged Hindus to convert. The lured the unsuspecting people under the guise of performing miracles, providing cures and offering deliverance from malevolent spirits.

Authorities informed that would meet people under bogus names and trick them in the name of “service work” while concealing their religious identities. Some accused even had ties to religious organizations and were exploiting the same for conversion purposes.

Investigative agencies are currently examining whether the perpetrators received financial support from any international networks as preliminary evidence revealed dubious bank transactions and details of foreign calls.

The inquiry disclosed that the accused managed to find their tragets through madrasas and fake NGOs. These organizations were functioning under the pretense of providing social services. According to police reports, most of the individuals chosen for conversion were from Dalit backgrounds, unemployed or disabled.

The were attracted using enticing offers and monetary aids. The victims were promised assistance with food, healthcare and money for the education of their children. Furthermore, the offenders even shared videos and delivered speeches that propagated conversion. WhatsApp groups were also created. PAN cards and Aadhaar cards were issued based on the new names to evade government scrutiny.

Some of the culprits have previously been booked for their communal actions in the past. The gang referred to itself as “revert” (term used by Muslim converts). They first published an advertisement in the newspaper about those who converted and then prepared required documents through courts. Afterward, the trapped girls are married, making it difficult for them to escape from there and return home.

The information was disclosed by the accused during their questioning by officials from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Intelligence Bureau (IB). They would often present themselves as reverts on social media after conversion.

It also came to light that the gang seduced those who turned 18 to facilitate their conversion without complications. They were able to present themselves as adults in court. Additionally, they had the legal liberty to convert to a different religion. They could even motivate other people in their circle to follow suit. Hence, several such young men and women were targeted for the purpose of conversion.

The Uttar Pradesh ATS suspects that the link of this gang might also reach Bihar, Bengal, Maharashtra and Kerala. The police have filed a case against all the accused under strict legal provisions. Additionally, an investigation into the groups they were associated with has commenced. According to officials, it could be a small part of a large network that operates across India.

ISIS-style working

The authorities stated, “Police arrested 10 members of an organized gang involved in religious conversion from 6 different states across the country. 11 teams were sent to various states for the same. Two young women who earlier went missing from Agra were being enticed by this group for religious conversion. They were rescued in time by the Agra Police and handed over to their families.”

“These individuals are engaged in similar activities in different states. They target young girls through inducements, love jihad and other methods. This modus operandi of the radicalisation and conversions is a signature style of ISIS (Islmaic State of Iraq and Syria). Initial investigations have indicated that this group has connections with PFI, its political wing SDPI and terrorist organizations in Pakistan. Their illegal operations have been funded from Canada and the United States,” the police outlined.

Drone swarming, smart war rooms, real-time monitoring of battle: How the Indian Army plans to integrate AI, Machine Learning and Big Data into its operations

Shriti Sagar
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Drone swarming, smart war rooms, real-time monitoring of battle: How the Indian Army plans to integrate AI, Machine Learning and Big Data into its operations

The Indian Army is preparing for a major shift in its functioning. By 2026–27, it intends to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Big Data Analytics in most segments of its operations. From drone operations and battlefield surveillance to combat training and intelligence gathering, the Army is making a systematic plan to utilise these cutting-edge technologies in a more intelligent and organised manner.

According to a report in The Indian Express, the Indian Army seeks to enhance its “battlefield awareness” with the help of AI capabilities that can process enormous volumes of information in a matter of milliseconds. These gadgets comprise AI-driven text summarizers to scan lengthy reports through Large Language Models (LLMs) and provide a summary, AI-driven chatbots able to respond to queries in real time, and voice-to-text to translate voice commands into typed instructions.

The Army will also utilise facial recognition technologies and systems that are able to detect unusual patterns, which might be indicative of a threat. Above that, it is set to collect and examine data streaming in from drones, satellites, aircraft, and sensors on the ground simultaneously. By assembling all this data in real time, commanders will be able to make more timely and precise decisions while out on a mission.

Lessons of Operation Sindoor

The push for this tech transition grew stronger following Operation Sindoor, a cross-border attack conducted in May. The operation to attack terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) saw a lot of drone attacks from both sides. It gave the message that the future of warfare lies in how well you can employ technology, not necessarily weapons, to move quickly and cleverly when things are dangerous.

Task force to lead AI integration

To ensure smooth sailing, the Army is creating a special task force (STF) comprising AI experts to be operated under the Directorate General of Information Systems (DGIS). The team will comprise officers from various branches of the Army and will be tasked with implementing these technologies across the board. Their tasks will include training Army personnel, enhancing technical capabilities, facilitating data sharing and integration, and assisting in the routine maintenance of AI systems.

This task force will also assist the Army in employing AI for combat training simulations, supply chain management, intelligence surveillance, and even monitoring open-source content such as social media or news sites. Operations planning, threat detection, mapping enemy weaknesses, and assisting targeting functions will all be performed using AI tools. In areas where GPS is jammed or inoperable, AI systems will assist navigation. Predictive maintenance equipment will also be brought in to ensure Army gear operates without unexpected failures.

To ensure that AI will be a part of the Army’s normal work, there will be new additions to the General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQRs). These are the standards adopted when purchasing any new hardware. From now on, these standards will have AI capabilities as an added element. The Army is also scheduled to install AI capabilities on some of its older hardware and systems wherever it is feasible.

Building for the future

An AI laboratory is also being established at the DGIS, in which new AI models will be created and tested. These will not only be utilised by the Army but will also be integrated with comparable AI tools being developed by the Navy and Air Force, so that all three branches can function in coordination.

To put it simply, the Indian Army’s AI initiative is no longer a concept. It’s becoming a reality with well-defined objectives, definite timelines, and a serious intent to leverage technology for more intelligent and quicker military actions.

Over 11,000 untraceable voters with Indian IDs: ECI’s SIR in Bihar exposes suspected infiltration by illegal immigrants, including Bangladeshis and Rohingyas

श्रवण शुक्ल
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Over 11,000 untraceable voters with Indian IDs: ECI’s SIR in Bihar exposes suspected infiltration by illegal immigrants, including Bangladeshis and Rohingyas

The Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) initiative in Bihar has uncovered a startling finding. 11,000 voters are found to be entirely “not traceable” in this drive aimed at cleaning the voter list. There were no residences at their provided addresses and neighbors had no information regarding their existence.

As per The Times of India, an ECI official pointed out that these 11,000 individuals might be Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators who have successfully obtained bogus voter cards in Bihar while staying in nearby states. This sensational discovery could potentially create ripples in the state’s politics as these persons are reportedly conspiring to disrupt the electoral process through fraudulent voting.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), these irregularities arose from negligence or corruption during the previous review, which allowed unauthorized individuals to be included in the voter list. In some cases, there was no house at the given address and even neighbors were unaware of these people.

The goal of the initiative is to thoroughly cleanse the voter list of Bihar and ensure that only eligible Indian citizens can participate in elections. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have conducted door-to-door verification on three occasions to facilitate the same. Verification has been completed for 95.92% of the 7.90 crore voters, however, 41.64 lakh voters could not be located at their addresses.

Among these, 14.29 lakh were found to possibly be deceased, 19.74 lakh had permanently relocated and 7.50 lakh individuals were registered at multiple locations. Notably, 11,000 voters were classified as “non-traceable.” On the other hand, 7.15 crore forms have been submitted owing to the campaign to date, out of which 6.96 crore have been digitized.

The deadline for form submission is set for 25th July and the draft voter list is scheduled for release on 1st August. Afterward, claims and objections will be accepted from 1st to 30th August with the final list to be published on 30th September. The ECI has clarified that any names that are mistakenly included or omitted can be amended by 30th August.

1 lakh BLOs, 4 lakh volunteers, and 1.5 lakh booth level agents are tirelessly working to carry out the process. The ECI asserted that every possible measure is being taken to ensure that no eligible voter is overlooked. However, the campaign has also ignited a political uproar.

The opposition I.N.D.I. Alliance has labeled it a “vote ban” and a ploy to favor the National Democratic Alliance. However, the Supreme Court is currently reviewing the case and has instructed the ECI to perform a comprehensive examination of documents including Aadhaar cards, ration cards and voter IDs.

Meanwhile, another startling disclosure emerged from the SIR drive. BLOs apprehended foreign nationals from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar possessing Indian documents such as Aadhaar, ration cards and domicile certificates. The revelation has prompted inquiries concerning how they obtained the documents.

The Election Commission of India announced that a profound investigation will take place from 1st to 30th August and any individuals identified as illegals will be excluded from the final voter list. Its significance has increased in light of the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar scheduled for October-November, particularly as the issue of fake voting has now been exposed.

Read the report in Hindi here.

Language no bar, build in Andhra: Minister Nara Lokesh rejects language politics, invites Mahindra group and other manufacturing giants to open plants in state

OpIndia Staff
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Language no bar, build in Andhra: Minister Nara Lokesh rejects language politics, invites Mahindra group and other manufacturing giants to open plants in state

On Saturday, 19th July, Andhra Pradesh IT and Industries Minister Nara Lokesh extended an invitation to the Mahindra Group to establish a manufacturing facility in the state, emphasising industry-specific regulations and a friendly business climate.

He encouraged Anand Mahindra, the chairman of Mahindra Group, to consider Andhra Pradesh for manufacturing, promising to impress him with the state’s “speed and approach.” He even added, “Your workforce will feel most welcome and speak whichever language they wish to.”

The minister mentioned that the state appreciates the company’s continued investments and stressed, “I look forward to deepening it further. I have been reading about your group’s expansion plans in EVs, defence and aerospace manufacturing. Andhra Pradesh has tailor-made policies for each sub-sector that can deliver maximum incentives.”

“Why not consider a Mahindra manufacturing facility in the sunrise state Andhra Pradesh to take advantage of our advanced automotive ecosystem and large market. Would love to host your team and showcase the abundant opportunities available here,” Nara Lokesh said.

The latter responded that they are already in talks with the governement about a variety of sectors, including micro-irrigation, solar energy and tourism. “We would be proud to be a partner in Andhra Pradesh’s journey,” he stated.

The minister has been consistently making pitches to the group and other industrialists, presenting Andhra Pradesh as an optimal choice for establishing industries. Lokesh has highlighted that the state is free from the language politics and violence perpetrated by language activists, in contrast to other southern states and even Maharashtra.

The recent exchange took place after he made a similar appeal, as the Karnataka government decided to retract its proposal to take over agricultural land in Devanahalli for a proposed aerospace park close to the Bengaluru airport, following more than three years of continuous farmer protests.

“Dear Aerospace industry, sorry to hear about this. I have a better idea for you. Why don’t you look at Andhra Pradesh instead? We have an attractive aerospace policy for you, with best-in-class incentives and over 8000 acres of ready-to-use land (just outside Bengaluru)! Hope to see you soon to talk across the table,” he wrote on social media.

Bombay HC acquits all 12, including Majid, Muzammil, and Tanveer in 7/11 Mumbai train blasts, earlier MCOCA court had convicted and sentenced 5 of them to death

OpIndia Staff
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Bombay HC acquits all 12, including Majid, Muzammil, and Tanveer in 7/11 Mumbai train blasts, earlier MCOCA court had convicted and sentenced 5 of them to death

The Bombay High Court on Monday (21st July) acquitted all 12 individuals who were earlier found guilty in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case. Almost a decade ago, a special court had sentenced five of them to death and the remaining to life imprisonment. But now, the High Court has held that the prosecution was unable to establish its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The judgment was given by a special bench of Judges Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak. They observed that the majority of the evidence and statements of witnesses were not trustworthy. For instance, the Court stated it was difficult to accept that taxi drivers or individuals who were travelling by train would be able to remember the faces of the accused so accurately, even after 100 days since the incident happened.

Discussing the circumstantial evidence, such as bombs, guns and maps, the Court stated that it made no difference in the case since the police hadn’t even been able to ascertain the kind of bomb used during the explosions.

One of the twelve accused persons, Kamal Ansari, had passed away in 2021 because of COVID-19 while he was under detention in Nagpur jail. The remaining 11, who have spent 19 years behind bars, are now set to walk free.

This case is about the horrifying serial blasts that happened on Mumbai’s local trains on 11th July, 2006. Seven bombs went off in different compartments of Western Railway trains during the evening rush hour. Around 189 people were killed and more than 800 were injured.

After a long trial under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), a special court had, in 2015, convicted five of the accused to death and seven others to imprisonment for life. The five sentenced to death were Kamal Ansari, Mohammad Faisal Shaikh, Ehtesham Siddiqui, Naveed Khan and Asif Khan.

The seven accused sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court were Tanveer Ahmed Ansari, Mohammed Majid Shafi, Shaikh Mohammed Ali Alam, Mohammed Sajid Margub Ansari, Muzzammil Ataur Rahman Shaikh, Suhail Mehmood Shaikh and Zameer Ahmed Latifur Rehman Shaikh. All were held guilty of planting the bombs.

The State government had approached the High Court to affirm the death penalty. The accused had also appealed against their conviction in the meantime. The case had been pending in the High Court for years. Only in July 2024 did the High Court constitute a special bench to hear it daily.

Senior lawyers such as S. Muralidhar, Yug Mohit Chaudhry, Nitya Ramakrishnan and S. Nagamuthu appeared on behalf of the accused and pleaded that the trial court had seriously erred. However, the lawyer from the State, Raja Thakare, pleaded that the punishment was warranted since the case was one of the “rarest of rare” sort.

Wanted to ‘protect Constitution’, protested for women safety: Meet Udit Pradhan, the Odisha President of student wing of Congress, arrested for raping 19-year-old girl

OpIndia Staff
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Wanted to ‘protect Constitution’, protested for women safety: Meet Udit Pradhan, the Odisha President of student wing of Congress, arrested for raping 19-year-old girl

In a major development on Sunday (20th July), the police arrested Udit Pradhan, the President of the Odisha unit of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), in connection with a rape case.

For the unversed, NSUI is the student wing of the Indian National Congress (INC) party. According to reports, the accused raped a 19-year-old engineering student inside a hotel room in Bhubaneswar.

Udit Pradhan invited the victim for dinner and then spiked her drink. After the girl lost consciousness, the student leader of the Congress party reportedly raped the victim.

The incident occurred on 18th March this year. The victim filed a complaint with the Mancheswar Police on Sunday (20th July), leading to the prompt arrest of the politically influential Udit Pradhan.

It has now come to light that the accused threatened the 19-year-old with dire consequences if she dared to file a complaint with the police.

The development comes days after a 2nd-year student named Soumyashree set herself on fire over the college’s inaction against sexual and mental harassment by an Assistant Professor named Samira Kumar Sahoo.

Udit Pradhan wanted to ‘save Constitution’

The rape accused had uploaded several posters on social media, vowing to ‘protect the Indian Constitution’ from the BJP government in Odisha and at the Centre.

Rape accused spotted with Rahul Gandhi, celebrated win of Priyanka Gandhi

Udit Pradhan was spotted alongside Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in one of his Instagram posts.

He was also seen celebrating the victory of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Wayanad in November 2024.

Udit Pradhan also posted on social media about Congress leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Manmohan Singh.

Activism for women

Ironically, the rape accused was primarily seen demonstrating for the protection of women in Odisha and participated in protests demanding their safety and security.

He had also posted in support of Soumyashree, who took her own life over inaction against sexual and mental harassment. On Sunday (20th July), Udit Pradhan was arrested for raping 19-year-old student.

Active member of Congress

In his capacity as NSUI President of Odisha, Udit Pradhan was actively involved in the political activities of the student wing of the Congress party.

The rape accused has 5.6K followers on Facebook and 15.8K followers on Instagram.

Uttar Pradesh: After Balrampur and Agra, now illegal conversions in Aligarh, 97 missing women suspected to have become victims of this racket

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: After Balrampur and Agra, now illegal conversions in Aligarh, 97 missing women suspected to have become victims of this racket

Following Agra and Balrampur, a major illegal conversion racket has now been busted in Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh. The gang is reportedly suspected of luring as many as 97 women, who are now missing, according to intelligence sources and police.

With the case being very sensitive in nature, several intelligence and special police teams have already been sent to probe the issue in great depth.

The case took a serious turn after Umar Gautam was arrested in Agra. Gautam, while being interrogated, revealed information about the Islamic conversion network as his ‘list’ of women had names from Aligarh as well. There are as many as 97 cases of missing women registered in the district and now Police is investigating each case with a new angle to find out if they have been converted.

In March 2025, two sisters (33 and 18 years old) had gone missing from Aligarh’s Sadar police station. The police sprung into action when one of the sisters’ photographs appeared on social media where she was holding an AK-47 rifle. This revelation led to connection with a well-entrenched illegal conversion network. The sources add that the sisters were forcibly converted and were then kept in a Muslim-dominated area of Kolkata.

How the gang operated

Police investigations show that the gang used social networks, dark websites, and dating applications to lure Hindu women. The members would initially befriend the women, trap them in love, and then brainwash them into converting. The police operation was so secret that even various police teams that were investigating it weren’t aware of each other’s actions.  The group is suspected to have connections with banned terror groups such as PFI, SIMI, and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Foreign funding from nations such as Canada, the US, the UK, and Dubai is also reported.

Uttar Pradesh DGP Rajeev Krishna explained that the gang was able to convert hundreds of Hindu women in different states. The arrested individuals in the Agra conversion case are Ayesha (actual name S.B. Krishna from Odisha), Ali Hasan alias Shekhar Rai from Kolkata, and Mohammad Ali from Jaipur. Ayesha reportedly operated the foreign funding and finances of the group, whereas Hasan looked after making influential contacts.

97 women missing in Aligarh

The most startling revelation was that at least 97 women from Aligarh and other surrounding areas have gone missing, most of whom are believed to be victims of this racket of conversion. In a few cases, the women were either misled or forced to convert, and a few of them were even coerced into marriages.

“Mission Asmita” by UP govt

In response, the Yogi Adityanath administration has initiated a special drive named “Mission Asmita” against forced conversions. As part of this, seven special teams of Agra police conducted raids in Kolkata, Jammu & Kashmir, Goa, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Uttarakhand, arresting 10 accused, including a woman. The case has been registered under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021.

DGP Rajeev Krishna compared the gang’s operation model to that of ISIS, saying they used hawala, the dark web, and radical networks to promote religious extremism and demographic change. The investigation in the case is ongoing.

Delhi Police arrests seven members of cheating syndicate including two Nigerians for operating nationwide fake lottery scam

ANI
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Delhi Police arrests seven members of cheating syndicate including two Nigerians for operating nationwide fake lottery scam

The Delhi Police Crime Branch arrested seven members of a cheating syndicate, including five Indians and two Nigerian nationals, who had been operating a nationwide scam using fake lottery and gift schemes, police officials said on Sunday.

According to DCP (Crime Branch) Vikram Singh, the gang duped people by offering fake lottery tickets and prizes, often by impersonating women or foreign businessmen on social media platforms like Facebook and Messenger.

“Five Indians and two Nigerians of a cheating syndicate operating nationwide have been arrested… They used to gain people’s confidence by offering fake lottery tickets, gift or prize schemes, or by impersonating a woman,” DCP Singh told ANI.

The gang collected personal data from Facebook and then sent messages to people through Messenger. The foreign nationals, pretending to be businessmen, called victims from these accounts, built trust over months, and then demanded money under various pretexts.

“Foreign nationals would call the victims posing as businessmen… They would run an account for 5 to 6 months and then deactivate it,” the DCP further said.

The police identified that the group was currently operating an account under the name ‘Vikas’, through which 20-25 victims had already been traced. Initial investigations revealed that the syndicate had been active for over a year.

“Sunday John came to India in 2023. He had a business visa that had expired. He was living illegally here. The second Nigerian came on a medical visa in 2013, and his visa has also expired,” DCP Singh later added.

Among the arrested Indians, Shahrukh and Shahid Raza were identified as the main conspirators. Shahid Raza had previously been jailed in 2016 for a similar crime. He was the first to connect with the Nigerians, while Shahrukh handled the cash flow, Rakesh arranged for the opening of bank accounts, and Faiz created fake Aadhaar cards, the police said.

“Shahrukh used to arrange the money flow. Rakesh used to get the bank accounts opened. Faiz used to get fake Aadhar cards made,” Singh added.

The police found around Rs 3 lakh in cash, along with nine mobile phones, nine passbooks, three cheque books, and multiple ATM cards from the accused. The Nigerians got money deposited into their accounts, while the Indian members would withdraw the money and hand it over to them in cash.

Further investigation is currently underway.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Karnataka government forms SIT to probe allegations on Dharmasthala mass burials, mother of missing girl lodges complaint after former sanitation worker made shocking claims

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka government forms SIT to probe allegations on Dharmasthala mass burials, mother of missing girl lodges complaint after former sanitation worker made shocking claims

In the latest development in the Dharmasthala mass burial case, the Karnataka government ordered the formation of an SIT headed by the Director General of Police (Internal Security Division), Pronab Mohanty, on 19th July. He will be assisted by Deputy Inspector General of Police (Recruitment) M N Anucheth and IPS officers Soumyalatha S K and Jitendra Kumar Dayama.

According to S Ambika, Under Secretary to the Government, Home Department, the government has ordered the formation of the SIT for a comprehensive investigation into the case.

The SIT was formed after the State Commission for Women called for an SIT probe into the allegations relating to the discovery of numerous human skeletons at Dharmasthala in Karnataka. On 14th July, the Chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women wrote a letter seeking an investigation led by senior police officers into the cases of missing female students and women, unnatural deaths, murders and rapes reported in the last two decades. All related criminal cases reported in all police stations across the state will be transferred to the SIT.

Background of the case

The case caught attention after an unknown man, who later turned out to be a former sanitation worker employed by the Lord Manjunatha shrine in Dharmasthala, filed a complaint with the police claiming that he was forced to bury dead bodies of women and minor girls in Dharmsthala. His complaint was followed by another complaint filed by a woman named Sujatha, whose daughter had gone missing while on a trip to the pilgrimage town of Dharmasthala.

The former sanitation worker arrives in court to give testimony

On June 3, 2025, the former sanitation worker submitted a complaint to the police, accompanied by photo evidence of skeletal remains. In his complaint, the former sanitation worker claimed that he was forced to bury hundreds of bodies of murder victims, including women and young girls, many of whom were sexually assaulted, between 1998 and 2014. “Many of the female bodies were without clothing or underwear. Some bore clear signs of sexual assault and violence: wounds or strangulation that indicated violence… More than 100 women, including students, were raped, murdered and buried…,” wrote the former sanitation worker in his complaint.

About a week after filing the complaint, the former sanitation worker appeared before a court, covered head to toe to conceal his identity, to testify to the allegations made in his complaint. He claimed that the culprits were influential people linked to the temple administration.

His complaint was followed by another complaint filed on 15th July, by Sujatha, the mother of a first-year MBBS student named Ananya Bhat, who went missing in 2003 during a college trip to Dharmasthala. 60-year-old Sujatha believes that her daughter might be among the victims mentioned in the former sanitation worker’s testimony.

Chilling details about victims

The former sanitation worker, who worked for the Dharmasthala temple administration between 1995 and 2014, has revealed some chilling details relating to the murder victims that he claims to have buried. He said that in 2010, he was forced to bury a school girl, aged 12-15 years, near a petrol bunk in Kalleri. He added that the girl was wearing a school uniform, but her skirt and undergarments were missing, and her body bore marks of sexual assault and strangulation.

Talking about another victim, the former sanitation worker recalled that she was a 20-year-old woman whose face was burned with acid, and her body was wrapped in newspapers. He said that he was instructed to burn her body using diesel. He revealed that he had instructed to bury some of the bodies on the bank of the Netravathi River so that the bodies would not be detected and decompose fast due to the damp soil.

He alleged that he was forced to bury or burn the dead bodies of all those victims and was threatened with death if he did not comply. He said that he fled Dharmasthala in December 2014 after a minor girl in his family was sexually assaulted by someone connected to his supervisors. After fleeing, he spent many years in hiding in neighbouring states. He claimed that he had returned because of a deep sense of guilt and that he needed closure. “If the bodies that are being exhumed are given a proper funeral, the souls of those who have suffered will find peace and my sense of guilt will also be reduced… I believe the deceased deserves a respectful farewell…” he said in his complaint.

He has sought protection under the Witness Protection Act, 2018 and offered to cooperate in the investigation of the case by identifying the burial sites and the names of the culprits.

Sujata Bhatt said that her daughter Ananya Bhatt, a medical student from Manipal, went missing in 2003 after visiting Dharmasthala. When she visited the place in search of her daughter, locals said that they saw the girl with some temple officials. However, when she approached the police, her complaint was ignored. After that she was abducted by three man, and was assaulted rendering her unconscious. She said that she woke up in a Bengaluru hospital 3 months later.

Despite being an employee at CBI, she didn’t get any support from authorities. She has now demanded DNA analysis of the discovered skeletons to identify the body of her daughter.

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