Maharashtra minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule stated on Monday that the government will evaluate the implications of the Bombay High Court ruling that acquitted all 12 defendants in the 7/11 Mumbai train bombings before making a decision on whether to appeal to the Supreme Court.

On July 11, 2006, seven explosions occurred across various locations on the western line of Mumbai’s local trains, resulting in over 180 fatalities and numerous injuries.

Nineteen years later, the Bombay High Court acquitted all 12 defendants on Monday, asserting that the prosecution had completely failed to establish the case and that it was “difficult to believe they committed the crime.”

A special bench comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak remarked that the prosecution did not even manage to present evidence regarding the types of bombs used in the incident, and that the evidence it relied upon was insufficient to convict the accused individuals.

“The Maharashtra government will evaluate the merits of the case prior to deciding whether to contest the High Court’s ruling to acquit all defendants. We will first discuss various aspects, including the merits of the judgment and the reasons for the acquittal.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will also review the situation. The state government will approach the Supreme Court only after this assessment,” Bawankule informed reporters. He added that if the state possesses any additional information, CM Fadnavis will present it comprehensively, noting that Bawankule is a former president of the Maharashtra unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya has urged Fadnavis to form a team of investigators and legal experts to rectify the deficiencies in the earlier police investigation into the train bombings.

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) was responsible for the investigation of the case. Describing the recent acquittals as “painful and shocking,” Somaiya stated, “I have asked CM Devendra Fadnavis to establish a team of investigators and legal experts to address the shortcomings in the previous police investigation.”