In response to criticism from the Bombay High Court, the Maharashtra government has taken the step of appointing Advocate Raja Thakarey as the special public prosecutor for the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case. This move comes after Justices Nitin Sambre and Rajesh Patil, who presided over the case, expressed their dissatisfaction with the government's delay in appointing a prosecutor for a case that involves the confirmation of death sentences and the hearing of appeals.
On Friday, the bench announced that no further adjournments would be granted, and hearings on pending petitions would commence on a day-to-day basis starting from October 5. This decision followed a request from a lawyer representing one of the convicts for a six-week postponement of the next hearing.
In response, the bench firmly stated, "No, you are getting 4 weeks. No question of adjournment on whatsoever ground. 5th October 10:30 we will be opening with your argument."
The bench emphasized that the case had been listed multiple times before the court and, given its gravity, deemed it appropriate to schedule the matter for a day-to-day hearing starting on October 5. They also reiterated that no adjournments would be allowed for any reason.
During the proceedings, the counsel representing one of the convicts, Kamal Ansari, informed the bench that Ansari had sadly passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, his family expressed their intention to continue contesting the confirmation of the death sentence.
The court was informed that the accused had filed several miscellaneous applications seeking their physical presence during the hearings. While the defense counsel argued for their client's right to be physically present, both Thakarey and Prosecutor Mankuwar Deshmukh, representing the state government, opposed this, citing security concerns. The court decided to hear these miscellaneous applications regarding physical presence on October 3.
The court will continue to address matters related to the confirmation of the death sentence and appeals beginning on October 5.
To provide context, the 2006 Mumbai train blast case involved the detonation of seven RDX bombs in first-class coaches of several local trains in Mumbai on July 11, 2006. This tragic event resulted in the loss of 188 lives and injuries to 829 individuals. The coordinated blasts occurred within 10 minutes at multiple locations in the city. The ATS chargesheet indicated that Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were crafted in a room in Govandi, a suburban area of Mumbai, and suggested the presence of some Pakistani nationals during the bomb-making process.
