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India Today
21-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
High Court acquits all 12 convicted in 2006 Mumbai train blasts case
The Bombay High Court on Monday acquitted all 12 men who were convicted of the 2006 Mumbai train bombings that killed 189 people and injured over 800. The acquittal came nearly two decades after the serial blasts shook Mumbai's suburban railway network.A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Gauri Godse read out the operative part of the order, pointing out serious flaws in the prosecution's case. The court observed that key witnesses were unreliable, identification parades were questionable, and confessional statements were extracted through defence had raised serious questions about the test identification parade. Many witnesses remained silent for unusually long periods, some over four years, and then suddenly identified the accused. This is abnormal," the bench noted. One witness, the court found, had deposed in multiple unrelated crime branch cases, including the Ghatkopar blast case, making his testimony 'unreliable'. Several others failed to explain how they could suddenly recall and identify the accused after judges also highlighted procedural lapses. "Some witnesses were not even examined during the trial. As for recoveries like RDX and other explosive material, the prosecution could not establish that the evidence was sacrosanct until it reached the Forensic Science Laboratory," the bench "non-application of mind", the High Court concluded that the prosecution had "thoroughly failed" to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. "It is difficult to say that the prosecution can sustain its charges," the bench held, quashing the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court's October 2015 judgment that had sentenced five to death and seven to life the 12 originally convicted, one, Kamal Ansari, died in 2021 due to Covid-19 while lodged in Nagpur prison. The remaining 11, who have spent 19 years behind bars, are now set to walk Yug Mohit Chaudhry, representing some of the accused, said, "This judgment will be a sign of hope for those wrongly incarcerated". The bench responded, "We did our duty and it was our responsibility".Public Prosecutor Raja Thakare, while acknowledging the verdict, said the judgment would serve as a "guiding light" for future 2006 Mumbai train blasts remain one of India's deadliest terror attacks, with seven bombs exploding in first-class compartments during peak hours on the Western Railway line.- Ends
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
HC rejects city Jain temple trust petition against demolition order
Mumbai: Bombay high court on Tuesday dismissed a challenge by a Jain mandir trust in Vile Parle against a city civil court order, paving the way for the demolition of the temple structure. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now However, the HC extended its status quo on further demolition of the structure to 4 weeks, reports Swati Deshpande. Denying relief against the demolition notice from BMC, Justice Gauri Godse, hearing the appeal filed by Shree 1008 Digambar Jain Mandir Trust and others, said neither the city civil court order nor the civic action could be faulted. Only a wall stands on the property after the demolitions. However, after hearing senior counsel Surel Shah and advocate Nidhi Chheda for the temple trust and Drupad Patil for BMC, the HC extended the status quo for four weeks. Bombay high court has dismissed a challenge by a Jain mandir trust against a civil court order on demolition of the temple structure, although it extended its status quo on further razing by four weeks. On April 7, the city civil court had granted a stay on the demolition for a week. On April 16, the HC had also passed an urgent status quo order staying further demolition. The latest extension of the status quo is, however, subject to an undertaking given by the Trust to BMC to remove a temporary monsoon shed by Oct 31, 2025. BMC had issued a demolition notice in Dec 2024, which the Trust challenged. The HC said the civic notice could not be faulted as an earlier challenge to a notice first issued in 2005 had travelled all the way to the Supreme Court, and the notice was confirmed. Justice Godse, dictating the order, said, "In the absence of any prima facie case made out by the plaintiff (the temple trust), the impugned order passed by the city civil court cannot be faulted." Tired of too many ads? go ad free now She added that BMC had made repeated attempts to implement the notice under the MRTP (Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning) Act, as stated in its affidavit. "I don't see any illegality or perversity in the order; hence, the appeal is dismissed. " After the dismissal, Shah sought an extension of the status quo order. On May 14, the high court had permitted the Trust to file an application before BMC for permission to construct a shed for the monsoon. BMC's counsel Patil informed HC on Tuesday that the civic body, on such a plea, permitted a temporary shed with the condition that it must be removed by Oct 31. The HC said that based on the same condition, the status quo stands extended by four weeks.
India Today
06-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Bombay High Court stays demolition around Malegaon's Bhoikot fort till June 17
The Bombay High Court has directed the Malegaon administration in Nashik district of Maharashtra to not take any coercive action against people occupying land around an ancient fort 'Bhoikot killa' in Malegaon. In their order, the bench of Justices Gauri Godse and Somasekhar Sundaresan said, 'Until 17th June 2025, no coercive action to be taken to demolish the petitioners' structures or evict the petitioners.'advertisementThe petitioners had approached the court challenging a Government Resolution (GR) dated January 20, 2025 issued by the Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department of the Maharashtra government under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains the GR, the Maharashtra government has directed the district administrations across the state to demolish all illegal structures in and around 47 forts protected by the Central government and 62 forts protected by the state. Under the GR, a committee headed by the district collector was to be constituted which had to submit a report on whether the recognised forts are encroached on or not. After the assessment, the unauthorised encroachments had to be removed. Recently, the local administration issued a notice to Shakeel Ahmed Fateh Mohammed (who is also the petitioner) and others living around the fort. The petitioner claimed that there were over 300 families living around the fort. The petitioners stated that they have documentary proof to state that they have been living in their homes around the fort for the last 40 years and their structures have already been regularised by the local Manisha Desai, appearing for the petitioners, pointed out that a Gymkhana and school are already running inside the archaeological site and no action has been taken against the same. However, the action is initiated only against the occupants who are outside the archaeological Government Pleader PP Kakade appearing for the state, took time to take instructions, but pointed out that the homes for rehabilitation of families have already been constructed and the families only have to pay Rs 20,000 and take possession. It is only after the rehabilitation is done that the demolition of illegal construction around the fort will be the court said that people undergoing rehabilitation shouldn't have to pay for taking possession of their new homes. The matter will be heard again by the court on June Watch
Hindustan Times
01-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
HC temporarily restrains demolition 220 families' residences in Malegaon fort
MUMBAI: In a reprieve for 220 families residing in the Bhuikot Killa, the Malegaon fort, the Bombay high court on Friday restrained the revenue department from acting on demolition notices issued. The vacation bench of justice Gauri Godse and justice Somasekhar Sundaresan was hearing a petition filed by resident Mohammad Rajjab Khan, and other residents of the fort. According to the petition, the tourism and cultural affairs department of the state government issued a Government Resolution (GR) on January 20, instructing district collectors to remove all encroachments from the 47 forts protected by the Central Government and 62 forts protected by the archaeology department as per the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, 1969. Following the GR, the Malegaon tehsildar issued eviction and demolition notices to the residents of the fort in March and April 2025, prompting them to approach the high court. Residents contended that they have been residing in the structures for 40 years and have necessary documents like electricity bills, house tax, water tax bills, ration cards etc. They added that an educational institute is running a school and a junior college at the fort's centre, and a separate girls' school is also located within the fort premises. These schools are using the open space in the fort as their playground. Demolition notices were issued to individual residents only, not these establishments, said the petitioners. Advocate Manisha Desai said a regular bench on May 8 granted protection to some residents after noting that schools and a gymkhana were functioning out of the fort area. The petitioner also claimed that the authorities turned a blind eye to several unauthorised structures within the fort and are selectively targeting the residents of the surrounding localities, falling outside the fort precinct. Desai also pointed out that the tehsildar passed fresh orders on May 26 for eviction and demolition of the residential structures. However, these were not served to the petitioners. Against this backdrop, the vacation bench restrained the revenue authorities from taking any coercive steps against the petitioners' structures. It also directed the additional government pleader Kavita N Solunke to take instruction as to whether the Tehsildar had passed any fresh orders for eviction and demolition and to file affidavits in reply to the petitions by June 10, when the petitions would come up for further hearing.
Hindustan Times
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Pune student held for Operation Sindoor post and later granted bail appears for exam
A 19-year-old engineering student from the city, who was arrested earlier this month over a social media post about the government's 'Operation Sindoor', appeared for her semester exam on Thursday under security cover, her lawyer informed the Bombay High Court. Advocate Farhana Shah, representing the student, told a vacation bench of Justices Gauri Godse and Somasekhar Sundaresan that her client was released from Yerawada Central Jail on Tuesday night, in line with the court's directions. 'She received her admit card on Wednesday and was able to appear for the exam on Thursday,' Shah said. The court noted that no additional directions were needed and posted the matter before a regular bench on June 9. The High Court had earlier pulled up the Maharashtra government over the student's arrest, describing the police action as 'absolutely shocking' and an overreaction aimed at 'ruining her life.' The court also stayed the rustication order issued by Sinhgad Academy of Engineering, where she is a second-year student, allowing her to take her remaining exams. The student had already missed two written papers and two practicals while in custody. The bench noted that she can approach her college and Savitribai Phule Pune University to seek permission to reappear for those missed exam papers. On Thursday morning, she arrived at the exam centre with a family member. 'College authorities arranged a separate room for her, and she completed the exam by 12.30 pm,' her uncle said. Sinhgad Academy principal Kishor Patil confirmed that the student appeared for her paper in a different classroom. 'A dedicated supervisor has been appointed and two security guards—one male and one female—will remain with her on campus to ensure her safety,' he said. The student, originally from Jammu and Kashmir, had shared a post on May 7 from an Instagram account named 'Reformistan' that criticised the Union government's military action in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. She took down the post shortly afterwards and issued an apology, but a complaint was still filed against her at Kondhwa police station on May 9. She was arrested and sent to judicial custody before moving to the Bombay High Court to challenge both her rustication and the FIR. (With agency inputs)
