A decade on, trial in triple blasts in Mumbai to begin next month

Twenty-six people were killed and about 130 injured in three coordinated bomb blasts in Mumbai on July 13, 2011. Charges have now been framed against all 11 accused in the case and a trial court has asked the prosecution to assist it in concluding the trial expeditiously

Over a decade after 26 people were killed and about 130 injured in three coordinated bomb blasts in Mumbai, the trial in the case is set to start on September 6. Charges have now been framed against all 11 accused in the case and a trial court has asked the prosecution to assist it in concluding the trial expeditiously.

Representational Image. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The court on Tuesday framed charges against the last remaining accused, Asadullah Akhtar, who is lodged in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail. He was produced in the designated Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) on Tuesday through video conferencing. After the court read and explained the charges to him, Akhtar denied all the allegations. The court then directed the prosecution to submit the list of witnesses to be examined as well as that of documentary and other evidence. The court listed the beginning of the trial on September 6.

Three bombs went off at Zaveri Bazaar, Opera House, and Dadar between 6.52 pm and 7.05 pm on July 13, 2011.

Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad, which investigated the cases, has arrested 11 persons in connection with the blasts, claiming that they belonged to homegrown outfit Indian Mujahideen.

The 11 charged in the cases are Naqi Ahmed Wasi Ahmed Shaikh, Nadeem Akthar Ashfaq Sheikh, Kanwar Pathrija, Haroon Naik, Yasin Bhatkal, Riyaz Bhatkal, Waqas Sad, Danish, Tarbez, Muazzafar Kolah, Mohammed Qafeel Ansari, and Tehseen Akthar.

In 2017, special public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam moved a plea for the issuance of a production warrant against the accused to ensure a speedy trial. Most of the accused are lodged in Mumbai’s Taloja jail. Some have been shifted to Tihar and Hyderabad jails in connection with other cases registered against them. The prosecution sought their custody and physical presence before the trial court in Mumbai.

The accused could not be produced physically before the MCOCA court for framing of charges. Therefore, the process was delayed as many accused insisted on their physical presence in the court for framing of charges. Finally, the accused agreed to the framing of charges through video conferencing, and the process was completed on Tuesday.