Eighteen years after the 7/11 serial train blasts case, the Bombay High Court has established a special bench to hear the appeals filed by the convicts and to confirm the death sentences handed down.
On July 11, 2006, seven blasts occurred at different locations in seven suburban trains of Western Railway, killing over 180 people and injuring several others.
According to a notice issued by the High Court Registrar, a special division bench comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak will begin hearing the case from July 15. This move follows an application filed by one of the convicts, Ehtesham Siddique, who was sentenced to death. Siddique’s lawyer, Yug Chaudhary, sought an expedited hearing of the matter.
Earlier this month, Chaudhary informed a division bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande that the accused have been imprisoned for 18 years and their appeals have not yet been heard. He further noted that although the appeals have been listed before several benches, they have not been addressed. The bench acknowledged that 18 years was indeed too long and stated that steps would be taken to ensure the appeals are heard.
Chaudhary and special public prosecutor Raja Thakare informed the bench that hearing the appeals would take at least six months.
In September 2015, the trial court convicted 12 individuals. Five were sentenced to death, while the remaining seven received life imprisonment. The state government filed an appeal in the High Court seeking confirmation of the death penalties, as a death sentence awarded by the trial court must be confirmed by the High Court. The convicts also filed appeals challenging their convictions and sentences. Since then, the appeals have been presented before 11 different benches but have yet to be heard.
