Maha approaches SC against acquittal of 12 in Mumbai blasts

HC DESCRIBED THE PROSECUTION’S CASE AS A “DECEPTIVE CLOSURE’ THAT UNDERMINED PUBLIC TRUST AND LET CULPRITS REMAIN AT LARGE

- Utkarsh Anand

A day after the Bombay High Court acquitted all 12 men convicted of planning and executing the July Il, 2006 serial bomb blasts on Mumbai's suburban rail network, including five on death row, the Maharashtra government on Tuesday rushed to the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the verdict and an urgent hearing of its appeal.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state government, mentioned the matter before Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai, requesting that the petition be heard without delay. The CJ agreed to list the case for a hearing on July 24, even as he remarked: “But we have been reading that some of them have already been released from jail.”

Responding to the observation, Mehta acknowledged the development but added: “The state still wants the appeal to be heard expeditiously.” The special leave petition challenging the High Court judgment was filed earlier in the day.

The state's legal challenge argues that the High Court erred in reversing the trial court's judgment and seeks a stay on the acquittal to prevent further release of the accused.