Connect with us
Saturday,10-May-2025
Breaking News

Maharashtra

7/11 Mumbai Train Blasts Case: 17 Years On, Bombay High Court Yet To Commence Hearing In Death Penalty Confirmation Of Convicts

Published

on

Exactly 17 years after seven bombs ripped through Mumbai’s local trains killing over 180 people and injuring several on July 11 during the evening rush hour, the hearing in the death confirmations of four accused is yet to commence before the Bombay High Court. 

7/11 Bombings

On July 11, 2006, seven blasts occurred in a span of 15 minutes in local trains on the Western Railways. The first bomb blast took place around 6:20 pm in a Churchgate-Borivali train, when it was between Khar and Santacruz stations. Another bomb exploded around the same time in a local train between Bandra and Khar. Five more explosions were reported from Jogeshwari, Mahim, Mira Road-Bhayandar, Matunga-Mahim and Borivali. 

The probe was handed over to the state Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) which arrested 13 persons allegedly belonging to the Indian Mujahideen.

Special MCOCA court awarded death sentence to five convicts 

In September 2015, the special MCOCA court had awarded death sentences to five convicts and life imprisonment to seven others. A death sentence awarded by the trial court has to be confirmed by the HC.

Soon, the state government approached the HC seeking confirmation of the death sentence of four convicts – Mohammad Faisal Shaikh, Ehtesham Siddiqui, Naveed Hussain Khan, Asif Khan, all of them bomb planters. They have also filed an appeal against their conviction and death sentence.

One of the bomb planters died due to COVID

Kamal Ahamed Ansari, one of the bomb planters who was awarded death sentence by the MCOCA court died due to COVID-19 in Nagpur Prison in 2022. So the case against him stands abated (dropped). 

The other seven – Tanvir Ahmed Ansari, Mohammad Majid Shafi, Shaikh Alam Shaikh, Mohd Sajid Ansari, Muzzammil Shaikh, Soheil Mehmood Shaikh and Zamir Ahmad Shaikh – have also approached the HC challenging their life imprisonment.

Since 2015, confirmation pleas heard by nine different benches

Since 2015, the confirmation pleas and appeals have come up for hearing before  nine different benches. However, they have not been heard. 

It was last listed before a division bench of Justices Ajey Gadkari and PD Naik, which refused itself from hearing the case. 

Prosecution & Defence Counsel will have to re-read 179 volumes of papers before court

Special public prosecutor Raja Thakare had informed the HC in January 2022 that 191 prosecution witnesses and 51 defence witnesses were examined before the special court. Besides, there are 179 volumes of papers. Both, the prosecution and the defence will have to re-read all the evidence before the HC for deciding the appeals in the case.

Defence counsel Yug Chaudhri too said that the evidence was voluminous and he alone would take three months to present his evidence before the court.

Due to voluminous evidence in the case, the prosecution and the defence counsels had also approached then Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court Dipankar Datta requesting to constitute a special bench to hear the 7/11 Mumbai train blasts case of 2006. However, no special bench is formed as yet.

Maharashtra

Indian soldier Murali martyred in Pakistani firing in Mumbai

Published

on

Mumbai: After the terrorist attack in Kashmir Pahalgam, the Indian Army retaliated and launched a massive attack on Pakistan under “Operation Sindoor”. While the enemy was defeated in this operation, 27-year-old Murali Naik, a resident of Kamaraj Nagar, Mumbai, was martyred in firing on the border.

As soon as the news of the martyrdom of Martyr Murali Naik reached the area, a wave of mourning spread throughout Kamaraj Nagar. Every eye was moist and every heart was filled with pride. Former corporator of the area, Parmeshwar Kadam, said that Murali was honest and sociable since childhood and was also a capable soldier. He dreamed of serving the country at a young age. Even after facing setbacks, Murali joined the army. Some relatives even forbade him from joining the army, but Murali’s passion was unwavering. With hard work and dedication, he fulfilled his dream by joining the army.

Murali Naik joined the Indian Army in 2022. After training in Nashik, he was posted in Assam, then Punjab. Just a month ago, he was sent to the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, where he was martyred in firing by Pakistan on Friday morning. The mortal remains of martyr Murli Naik will be taken to his native village in Andhra Pradesh tomorrow, where his last rites will be performed with full state honours. Murali, who belongs to the Dhangar community, was sociable and lively since childhood. Today, not only Mumbai but the entire country is proud of Murali Naik. He made his great sacrifice while protecting Mother India.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Removing the Pakistani flag at Vile Parle station was costly, a case was registered against five people including a woman, police took action after the video went viral on social media

Published

on

Mumbai: The Juhu police has registered an FIR against six unidentified individuals, including a burqa-clad woman, for allegedly gathering unlawfully, verbally abusing, and physically assaulting people who opposed the removal of Pakistani flags near the west side of Vile Parle railway station.

According to the FIR, the incident took place on May 4, when the accused were seen removing Pakistani flags that had been pasted on the stair steps of the Vile Parle railway station as part of a protest against the April 22 massacre of Hindu tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

The police have registered the case under Sections 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 190 (every member of an unlawful assembly guilty of an offence committed in pursuit of a common object), and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The complainant, Santosh Salukhe, 49, a policeman, stated that he saw a video on Facebook, showing a veiled woman and four to five unidentified youths removing the Pakistani flags from the stair steps at Vile Parle railway station (West).

Salukhe immediately rushed to the location and learned that around 4 p.m. the same day, some unidentified individuals had pasted the Pakistani flags in front of the ticket counter at the station and on the steps as a symbolic protest against the recent terrorist attacks on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The flags carried the message “Step on it.” Those who pasted the flags left soon after.

Later, the veiled woman and her group arrived at the Vile Parle railway station and began removing the flags, which created a disturbance for commuters. When some people tried to stop them, the woman and her associates allegedly physically assaulted and verbally abused them, resulting in a brief period of tension at the station. Gurpreet Anand of Ankush Foundation had distributed free stickers of the Pakistani flag with the message “Step on it” printed at the bottom.

On Wednesday, he went to Juhu police station along with Parag Alavani MLA and others with a view to register an FIR. “However, the police did not register our FIR,” he told Media. But on Friday, a constable filed an FIR. Subsequently, the police registered a case. Juhu police officials said no arrests have been made yet, and no notices have been issued as they are in the process of identifying the accused.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Mumbai bus travel becomes more expensive, fares increase

Published

on

SOURCE: FREE PRESS JUORNAL

Mumbai : Mumbai citizens have been hit by inflation ahead of the BMC elections. The fare hike for BEST buses has been approved. An additional fare of twice the fare will be implemented from today, which will now mean that BEST passengers will have to pay an additional fare, which will affect the pockets of the passengers. The BEST administration has decided to implement the new fare from May 9. The fare has been increased for distances of 5, 10, and 20 kilometers.

The fare for a distance of 5 kilometers has been doubled. The fare for a distance of 5 kilometers has been increased from Rs 6 to Rs 12. No concession has been given in the fare for a 12-year-old child. The daily pass was previously Rs 60, but now the new fare has been increased to Rs 75. The monthly pass is from Rs 900 to Rs 1,800. The facility of Chalo Bus Pass has been provided for children of the Municipal Corporation. The increase in bus fares and tickets in Mumbai has put a burden on the pockets of the citizens. Shared taxis and auto rickshaws are also operated in Mumbai city and its suburbs, but due to the fare, many passengers are unable to pay for these shared means of transport and travel by buses.

Continue Reading

Trending