7/11 Mumbai blasts: SC stays HC acquittal order

The Supreme Court Thursday stayed the Bombay High Court verdict acquitting all 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai train bomb blasts case but said they need not return to jail.

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

The SC further directed the Bombay HC judgement not to be treated as a precedent.

A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh issued notice to all the accused in the case and sought their responses on the appeal filed by the state government.

“We have been informed that all the respondents have been released and there is no question of bringing them back to the prison. However, taking note of the submission made by the solicitor general on the question of law, we are inclined to hold that the impugned judgment shall not be treated as a precedent. To that extent, there shall be a stay of the impugned judgment,” the SC said.