2006 Mumbai train blasts case: Hours after Bombay HC verdict, eight released from different jails
While two were not released due to pending cases against them, one of the accused had died due to Covid -19 and another was already released on parole.
The HC on Monday morning had ordered release of all accused forthwith in case they are not required to be detained in any other case. The court had directed them to execute personal bonds of Rs 25,000 each.
Ehtesham Qutubuddin Siddiqui, who was earlier on death row and Mohammed Ali Alam Sher Sheikh, who was on life-term, were released from Nagpur Central Prison around 8 pm.
Moreover, other accused including Tanveer Ahmed Mohammad Ibrahim Ansari, Mohd Majid Mohd Shafi, Suhail Mohammad Sheikh, and Zamir Ahmed Latifur Rehman Sheikh were released from Amravati Central Jail around 9 pm.
Asif Khan Bashir Khan was released from Yerawada Jail in Pune and Muzammil Ataur Rahman Shaikh was released from Nashik jail.
The two accused were not released due to pending cases against them. The two include Mohammed Faisal Attaur Rahman Shaikh lodged at Aurangabad Jail and Naveed Hussain Khan Rasheed lodged at Nagpur jail.
Moreover, Kamal Ahmed Mohd Vakil Ansari died due to Covid- 19 in 2021 at Nagpur Central prison, while another accused Mohammed Sajid Margub Ansari was already released on parole.
'Two of accused from 7/11 Mumbai blasts case were lodged at Yerawada prison. Of the two, Asif Khan Bashir Khan alias Junaid was released on Monday night. Second accused, Mohammed Faisal Ataur Rahman Shaikh has not been released since he has another case against him,' said a senior officer from Prison Department.
Anjum Inamdar, Pune-based activist with Muslim Mulniwasi Manch said, 'Asif was released around 8.30 pm from Yerawada Prison and was received by his brother. His brother and Asif both expressed their feeling of truth having prevailed and justice being delivered to them.'
Suhail Mohamed Shaikh, after being released from Amravati Central Prison around 9 pm, told media persons outside the jail premises,
'Today we are released after 19 years. We had complete faith in the court and the establishment and it has worked. There was nothing in the case against us. We should have been acquitted by the special court itself, but now the High Court has done it. We are thankful to the lawyers who worked for us and the judges.'
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