NATIONAL: Mumbai Blast Case: “Tortured in Custody, Pay Me ₹9 Crore,” Says Acquitted Man
Abdul Wahid Shaikh, cleared a decade ago in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts probe, now pursues compensation for years of alleged wrongful detention. He claims Rs 9 crore from human rights bodies, citing profound personal tolls from custody.
The plea follows the Bombay High Court’s July 2025 acquittal of the case’s remaining accused, closing a chapter on a tragedy that claimed 189 lives.
Roots of the Case
On July 11, 2006, coordinated explosions ripped through seven Western Railway suburban trains during rush hour. The attacks, linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, exposed vulnerabilities in urban transit.
Shaikh, then a school teacher, faced arrest by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad. A special court dropped charges against him in 2015, citing insufficient evidence.
Path to Full Clearance
Of the original 13 accused, five received death sentences and seven life terms from the trial court. One death-row convict passed away in 2021 while appeals lingered.
The High Court, in a July 21 ruling, overturned all convictions, faulting investigative lapses and coerced confessions. This paved the way for Shaikh’s broader vindication.
Compensation Claim
Shaikh filed with the National Human Rights Commission and Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission, seeking redress for nine years behind bars. He also requests rehabilitation support.
Drawing from precedents like the 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases, he argues for monetary relief mirroring unjust conviction payouts.
Lasting Impacts
Shaikh describes irreversible harm to his career and health from reported custodial abuse. Once employed as an educator, he now battles unemployment tied to the terrorism stigma.
His family endured emotional and financial strain, forcing Rs.30 lakh in loans for essentials. He deferred his claim until co-accused were freed, honoring shared innocence.
This pursuit spotlights systemic gaps in compensating the wrongly accused, urging reforms in terror prosecutions.