Latest news with #MaharashtraAnti-TerrorismSquad
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
2006 Mumbai train blasts: Maharashtra should appeal against High Court verdict in SC, says former ATS chief KP Raghuwanshi
Former Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief, K P Raghuvanshi, who headed the investigation into the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case, said Monday the state government should appeal against the Bombay High Court judgement acquitting all 12 accused. The Bombay High Court set aside a special court verdict that awarded the death sentence to five accused in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts, and refused the Maharashtra Government's plea seeking confirmation of their sentences. The high court acquitted all 12 accused in the case, including those sentenced to life imprisonment. Speaking to The Indian Express, Raghuvanshi said, 'I believe we had made a very strong case on the basis of which the trial court had convicted the accused. Now, ATS will examine the judgment, and in consultation with the PP (public prosecutor) and other legal experts, they will decide on the appeal. In my opinion, they should definitely go to the appeal against the judgment.' 'We are pretty sure that we have done a good investigation and collected ample evidence; that's the reason why the trial court had convicted the accused previously. I have been retired from ATS for more than 10 years. The current ATS chief's team will examine the judgment and decide on the appeal. I believe they should appeal against the verdict in the Supreme Court of India,' Raghuvanshi added. As many as 15 ATS officers investigated the train serial blasts that occurred on July 11, 2006, in seven western suburban coaches of a train, killing 189 commuters and injuring 824. ATS arrested Kamal Ahmed Mohd Vakil Ansari from Bihar, Mohammad Faisal Ataur Rahman Shaikh from Mumbai, Ehtesham Qutubuddin Siddique from Thane, Naveed Hussain Khan from Secunderabad, and Asif Khan Bashir Khan from Jalgaon in Maharashtra. All of them were previously found guilty of planting the bombs by the trial court. Besides this, ATS also arrested Tanveer Ahmed Mohammed Ibrahim Ansari, Mohammed Majid Mohammed Shafi, Shaikh Mohammed Ali Alam Shaikh, Mohammed Sajid Margub Ansari, Muzammil Ataur Rahman Shaikh, Suhail Mehmood Shaikh, and Zameer Ahmed Latifur Rehman Shaikh, who were awarded life terms. One of the accused, Wahid Shaikh, who was arrested by ATS, was acquitted by the trial court after spending nine years in jail. ATS investigators had recorded statements of around 250 witnesses, including 92 prosecution witnesses, and gathered evidence spanning over 169 volumes. Validating ATS's investigation, and after an over eight-year trial, a special court under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) in October 2015 awarded the death penalty to five of the convicts and life terms to seven others. However, nine years later, the Bombay High Court set aside the previous verdict. 'It is unsafe to reach the satisfaction that the accused appellants have committed the offence for which they have been convicted and sentenced. Therefore, the previous judgment and order of conviction and sentence are liable to be quashed and set aside,' the court said.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
2006 train blasts: Bombay HC to pronounce verdict on death confirmation pleas today
Over five months after it reserved verdict on death confirmation pleas filed by the state and appeals by the accused against their conviction in the 7/11 train blasts case of 2006, the Bombay High Court will pronounce the judgement Monday. After conducting hearings over six months, special bench of Justices Anil S Kilor and Shyam C Chandak on January 31 this year reserved its verdict on pleas filed in the high court. In 2015, the special court convicted the accused who have been in jail for over 18 years. On July 11, 2006, a series of bombs ripped through seven western suburban coaches of a train, killing 189 commuters and injuring 824. After an over eight-year trial, a special court under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) in October 2015 awarded death penalty to five of the convicts and life terms to seven others. Death row convicts Kamal Ansari from Bihar, Mohammad Faisal Ataur Rahman Shaikh from Mumbai, Ehtesham Qutubuddin Siddiqui from Thane, Naveed Hussain Khan from Secunderabad and Asif Khan from Jalgaon in Maharashtra were found guilty of planting the bombs. Those awarded life term were Tanveer Ahmed Mohammed Ibrahim Ansari, Mohammed Majid Mohammed Shafi, Shaikh Mohammed Ali Alam Shaikh, Mohammed Sajid Margub Ansari, Muzammil Ataur Rahman Shaikh, Suhail Mehmood Shaikh and Zameer Ahmed Latiur Rehman Shaikh. One of the accused, Wahid Shaikh, was acquitted by the trial court after nine years in jail. The Maharashtra government in 2015 approached the HC with pleas seeking confirmation of death penalty granted to five convicts. On the other hand, the convicts filed appeals challenging the special court order. Ansari, one of the convicts on death row, died due to Covid-19 in Nagpur prison in 2021. As the accused sought speedy disposal of the matter, the HC in July 2023, constituted a special bench led by Justice Kilor, which conducted regular hearings through more than 75 sittings. The lawyers representing the convicts argued that their 'extra-judicial confessional statements' obtained by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) through 'torture' were inadmissible under the law. They also argued that the accused were falsely implicated, innocent and were languishing in jail for 18 years without substantial evidence and their prime years were gone in incarceration. The appellants said that the trial court erred in convicting them and therefore the said order be set aside. The Maharashtra government opposed the appeals by convicts and claimed that the probing agency had provided sufficient evidence to establish it was 'rarest of the rare' case to sentence the accused to death penalty.
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Time of India
Engr accused of spying for Pak seeks bail
Mumbai: A Thane-based engineer arrested for allegedly sharing sensitive information about warships and submarines with a Pakistani intelligence agent has sought bail, saying a prolonged incarceration would "prejudice his personal and professional life". Ravindra Verma (27), who worked with a defence technology firm, was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad on May 28. He is currently in judicial custody. In his bail plea, Verma pleaded innocence, contending that the allegations "are subject to proof beyond reasonable doubt during trial". The probe is substantially complete and primary evidence, including mobile phone containing WhatsApp chats and audio files has been seized, hence his judicial custody was no longer necessary, the plea said. pti
Indian Express
25-06-2025
- Indian Express
ATS arrest in May: Engineer held for ‘passing on sensitive documents to Pak operatives' seeks bail
A 27-year-old engineer, arrested in May by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for allegedly passing on sensitive documents related to the Indian Naval dockyard to a Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) through social media, has sought bail stating that his prolonged detention will prejudice his personal and professional life. The engineer, Ravi Varma, who was working with a private defence technology company, was arrested by the ATS on May 28, which alleged that he had shared sensitive and confidential information through WhatsApp between November 2024 and March 2025. 'It is respectfully submitted that the investigation in the present case appears to be substantially complete. The primary evidence including the applicant (Varma)'s mobile phone, containing the alleged WhatsApp chats, audio files, images and documents, has been seized, thoroughly examined and extracted by the investigating agency… The continued incarceration of the applicant is no longer necessitated for any further custodial interrogation or recovery of evidence,' the bail plea filed by Varma states. It adds that he has extended full cooperation with the investigators through the interrogation and there is no likelihood of him absconding or fleeing or tampering with the evidence, given that key electronic evidence is already secured. 'That the allegations, while serious, are subject to proof beyond reasonable doubt during the trial. The applicant maintains his innocence and reserves the right to present his defence at the appropriate stage… that the applicant is a young professional employed as a junior service engineer, and his prolonged detention would severely prejudice his personal and professional life without serving any larger investigative purpose,' the plea filed through lawyer Rajhans Girase said. The lawyer said that the case will be heard next on July 1. The ATS after arresting Varma had claimed that the PIOs had posed as women to lure him and they communicated for months, following which he sent documents of restricted areas in the Indian Navy dockyard that he had access to through the company where he was working.
Hindustan Times
13-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
ATS arrests duo with 4 pistols, 35 live cartridges
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad has arrested two persons from Thane and seized four pistols and 35 live cartridges from them. ATS officers said that they received information that a suspicious person was coming with illegal firearms to Dombivali (West) and based on the information, laid a trap on Mahatma Gandhi Road and apprehended a 35-year-old suspect. ATS officers found three weapons and 35 live cartridges in his possession and registered a case in the Kalachowki unit under sections 3, 25 of the Arms Act and sections 37 (1) (3) and 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act. During interrogation, the arrested accused revealed that he had sold weapons to another person in Thane. Based on his revelation and technical evidence, the ATS arrested the second accused on Wednesday and seized one pistol from him, said a senior ATS officer. Investigation is going on to find other leads in the arms seizure case to find out from where the weapons were being smuggled into the city and who was the mastermind behind it, said the officer. A total of 4 firearms, 35 live cartridges, and 2 magazines, together worth an estimated ₹7.5 lakh, have been seized from the duo, the officer added.
