The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the operation of the Bombay High Court’s recent verdict that had acquitted all 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai train bomb blasts case, which had claimed over 180 lives. '

A bench comprising Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh clarified that the High Court judgment would not be treated as a legal precedent and issued notice to all acquitted individuals. However, the apex court did not halt their release from prison.

The development came in response to a plea by the Maharashtra government challenging the High Court’s decision to overturn the convictions. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the state, urged the court to stay the verdict, citing its potential impact on future trials under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), though he did not seek the re-incarceration of the released individuals.

“I am seeking a stay not to bring them back to jail, but because certain legal findings may affect future MCOCA trials,” Mehta submitted.

Acknowledging this concern, the top court stated: “Since all the accused are released, there is no question of sending them back to jail. However, the impugned judgment shall not be treated as precedent.”

Justice Sundresh also noted during the hearing that the case files indicated some of the acquitted individuals are Pakistani nationals.

Earlier this week, a division bench of the Bombay High Court comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak had overturned the September 2015 judgment of the MCOCA court, which had sentenced five of the accused to death and the remaining seven to life imprisonment. The High Court observed that the prosecution had “utterly failed” to prove its case, adding that it was “hard to believe the accused committed the crime.” The court also pointed to serious lapses in the investigation, including the lack of clarity on the type of explosives used and the apparent disconnect between the recovered materials and the blasts.

The acquittals had sparked strong reactions, with former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis calling the judgment “shocking” and vowing to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

The July 11, 2006, attack saw seven blasts rip through first-class compartments of Mumbai’s suburban trains within 11 minutes, during peak evening hours. Rigged pressure cookers filled with explosives were placed in trains departing from Churchgate. The explosions occurred at or near Matunga Road, Mahim Junction, Bandra, Khar Road, Jogeshwari, Bhayandar, and Borivali stations.

In 2015, a special MCOCA court had convicted 12 men, sentencing Faisal Sheikh, Asif Khan, Kamal Ansari, Ehtesham Siddiqui, and Naveed Khan to death, while the remaining seven — Mohammed Sajid Ansari, Mohammed Ali, Dr Tanveer Ansari, Majid Shafi, Muzzammil Shaikh, Sohail Shaikh, and Zamir Shaikh — were sentenced to life imprisonment for their alleged roles in the conspiracy.

With the Supreme Court now staying the High Court’s ruling from being treated as a precedent, the case continues to hold critical legal and investigative significance