Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 22 (ANI): AIMIM national spokesperson Waris Pathan welcomed the Bombay High Court's decision to acquit all 12 individuals convicted in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings case, calling it a victory of truth and justice.

He criticised the prolonged incarceration of the accused, saying their lives were destroyed over a period of 19 years due to wrongful charges. He alleged that laws such as MCOCA and UAPA are selectively used against Muslims, leading to decades of suffering and loss.

Speaking to ANI on Monday, Pathan said, 'This is a welcome judgement by the Bombay High Court. This is the victory of truth and justice. 12 innocent Muslims were arrested and jailed just on the basis of suspicion. They have received justice today, after 19 years. They have been declared innocent today...Several of these people lost their youth, parents and 19 years of their lives over a false case by the ATS. Who will take accountability for this?'

'They destroyed 12 lives in 19 years. Only Muslims have to suffer and pay for draconian laws like MCOCA and UAPA. High Court said that the confessions were out of duress, threat, force and coercion...Justice delayed is justice denied. The real culprits are roaming freely. When will the ATS arrest them? Why have they not been arrested so far?'

Families of those acquitted spoke of years of stigma and pain. Rahil Shaikh, brother of acquitted accused Sohail Shaikh, recalled the social humiliation they endured.

'I want to thank the Almighty that the judge gave a verdict in our favour. We had faith in the judiciary... We were abused wherever we used to go. People called us terrorists. There were some people who supported us a lot, but some used to taunt us a lot,' Shaikh said.

He added, 'We lost all hope. We were getting tortured wherever we used to go. People used to taunt us, saying they are terrorists. We were sure that at the end, truth would win.'

Meanwhile, on Monday, the Bombay High Court acquitted 12 accused of the 2006 Mumbai train blasts, which had drawn anger from the victims; meanwhile, a feeling of happiness spread among the families of the people who had been acquitted.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while addressing the issue, expressed shock and stated that the government would challenge the Bombay HC verdict in the Supreme Court.

'The verdict of the Bombay High Court is very shocking and we will challenge it in the Supreme Court', CM Fadnavis told reporters.

This important verdict came after 19 years. A special bench of the Bombay High Court ruled that the evidence relied on by the prosecution was not conclusive to convict the accused persons. The court then ordered the immediate release of all the accused.

On the evening of July 11, 2006, bomb blasts took place at seven different places in the Mumbai local trains within just 11 minutes. In this incident, 189 people died, while more than 827 passengers were injured.

The bombs were placed in first-class compartments of trains from Churchgate. They exploded near the stations of Matunga Road, Mahim Junction, Bandra, Khar, Jogeshwari, Bhayandar and Borivali. A trial court in 2015 convicted 12 people in the blasts' case. (ANI)