
Mumbai train blasts case: What happened to the Pakistan nationals accused?
According to the prosecution, at least 10 Pakistani nationals infiltrated India in the months leading up to the attacks. Among these, many were said to have planted the bombs that killed over 180 people. Yet nearly two decades later, these foreign operatives remain largely unaccounted for, with most said to have fled, one killed in the blasts, and another gunned down in a police encounter.
What was the Pakistani connection, as per the prosecution?
The prosecution had alleged that the 7/11 Mumbai local train blasts conspiracy mastermind was a Pakistani national, Azam Cheema aka Babaji, associated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Cheema and the Indian accused, particularly Faisal Shaikh and Asif Shaikh, are alleged to have conspired sometime in 1999 to wage war against India and train Indian Muslim youth in subversive activities.
The prosecution, however, does not state when and how they met.
Cheema is subsequently said to have sent funds to India to train youths to 'avenge the alleged atrocities committed on Muslims in India, by causing widespread insurgent and terrorist activities by exploding/bombing financial nerve centers and causing mass damage to life and property thereby crippling the economy,' the chargesheet states.
On the back of this, between 2001 and 2005, seven of the 12 now acquitted accused, namely Faisal Shaikh, Tanveer Ansari, Kamal Ansari, Muzammil Shaikh, Suhail Shaikh, Zameer Shaikh, and Shaikh Mohd Ali, were alleged to have gone to Pakistan through Iran and undertake 'subversive training'. Faisal was the first to go and is said to have gone multiple times, with the prosecution claiming that he even met Hafiz Saeed.
A Pakistani Army Havaldar, Tafheem Akmal Hashmi, who is in Indian custody, had during the trial claimed to have met Faisal at a Lashkar-e-Taiba training camp near Muzaffarabad in June or July 2004.
How did the alleged conspiracy unfold?
The prosecution had alleged that in May 2006, Cheema asked Faisal Shaikh to identify targets, who informed Cheema that suburban trains were suitable for 'causing explosions.'
In the same month, several Pakistanis infiltrated into the country. Mohammed Majid, a resident of Kolkata, made arrangements and ensured the infiltration of six Pakistani nationals, namely Sabir, Abu Bakr, Kasam Ali, Ammu Jaan, Ehsanullah, and Abu Hasan, through the Bangladesh border. They then traveled from Kolkata to Mumbai by train, the prosecution said.
In the same month, four more individuals infiltrated from the Kutch border into Gujarat. They included two Pakistani individuals, Salim and Abu Umed, and two Indian nationals, Abdul Raazak from Hyderabad and Sohail Shaikh from Pune, who had settled in Pakistan.
One of the accused, Kamal Ansari, is alleged to have facilitated the entry of two Pakistanis, Aslam and Hafizullah, through the Nepal border. In all, 10 Pakistanis and two Indian nationals staying in Pakistan infiltrated to carry out the blasts in May 2006, according to the prosecution. One of the Pakistanis, Ehsanullah, was believed to have brought along 15 kg of RDX.
The prosecution alleged that all the 12 infiltrators reached Mumbai in May. The first group of six, who had come in from Bangladesh, were put up in a flat in Mira Road by Asif Khan. The four who came in from the Gujarat border were housed in Bandra West by Faisal Shaikh, and the two from Nepal were housed in Mira Road in the house of Sajid Ansari.
Subsequently, the planning for the bombings started, with three men, including Sajid Ansari, Sohail Shaikh, an Indian staying in Pakistan, and an unnamed Pakistani assembling seven explosive devices in the house of Mohammed Ali in Govandi. The explosives were made from July 8 to 10.
The prosecution has claimed that Kamal Ansari, along with Pakistani accused Salim, Hafizullah, and Aslam, planted the bomb in the train that exploded at Matunga Railway Station.
Naveed Khan along with wanted Pakistani accused Abu Umed planted the bomb that blasted between Santacruz and Khar Railway Stations. Faisal Shaikh along with wanted Pakistani accused Abu Bakr put the explosives that blasted at a train on the Jogeshwari Railway Station. Asif Shaikh with Pakistani accused Sabir were responsible for the Borivali Railway Station train blast. Ehtesham Siddiqui along with wanted Pakistani accused Ammu Jaan planted the train bomb that blasted at Mira Road Railway Station.
Bombs in trains also went off at Mahim and Bandra Railway Stations, but the names of the accused were not made public.
What happened to the Pakistanis after the blasts?
The prosecution has claimed that six Pakistanis were given shelter at the Mumbai residence of one Wahid Shaikh after the blasts, and then provided safe passage out of Mumbai by Mohamed Majid.
The prosecution does not state what happened to the other Pakistanis, barring the claim that one Pakistani national, Salim, died in the blast as he could not get off the train in time, while the other, Abu Osama alias Abu Umed, a Faisalabad resident, was gunned down on August 22, a month after the blast, in an encounter with the Mumbai ATS in Antop Hill.
His presence in Mumbai after all his associates allegedly returned to Pakistan remained unexplained.
What does the HC verdict say about the Pakistani nationals?
The court has noted that the defendants in their confession had claimed that they made seven pairs for planting bombs in the trains, which included one local and one Pakistani. The court has noted, however, that a confession by another defendant states that he was accompanied by three Pakistanis, stating that 'the truthfulness of this statement is under the cloud of doubt.'
The verdict also notes that complete details of the seven pairs who were accused of planting the bombs were not given. It also notes that the details of how the Pakistanis managed to escape were also not known and pointed out that the Indian accused did not attempt to run away.
'This is important to state because many accused were called as suspects at the initial stage of investigation and they were not arrested and allowed to go home. Even then, no one ran away,' the Bench observed.
The verdict also states that the prosecution has not detailed the dates on when the Pakistanis arrived in Mumbai, and neither is much known about the physical description of these men. The verdict also talks about how there are no details about how the RDX was brought to Mumbai.
'There is even no mention whether the full quantity of 15kgs RDX was used in making the bombs or some quantity was left over. If some quantity was left over, what was done with the same…' it states.
The verdict also states that the prosecution's argument that the accused had visited Pakistan was not evidence to state that they had committed the blasts.
It also states that while it was the prosecution's case that the accused were in contact with the key conspirator Azam Cheema and members of the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba, the prosecution failed to place the call details on record.
'It is pertinent to note that the prosecution had sought the police custody remand of the accused on the ground, inter alia, that the accused were in contact with Pakistanis, Azam Cheema and his associates. Yet, even after the defence produced the CDR, the prosecution failed to establish any nexus between the accused and Pakistani nationals, including Azam Cheema and his associates,' the verdict states.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
Embassy of West Arctica in Ghaziabad? Police bust fake missions of non-existent nations in Kavi Nagar
Man posed as diplomat, promised foreign job placements Fake passports, seals, and cash recovered in raid Live Events Accused linked to controversial figures, faces earlier charges (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Uttar Pradesh Police's Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a man from Ghaziabad for operating a fake embassy from a rented house while posing as a diplomat of non-existent countries, including " West Arctica ". The accused, Harsh Vardhan Jain , was taken into custody on Tuesday following a raid by the Noida unit of the to officials, preliminary investigation revealed that Jain falsely claimed to be a consul or ambassador representing fictional micronations like West Arctica, Saborga, Poulvia, and Lodonia. He allegedly used his fake identity to broker job placements abroad for companies and STF said Jain had created fake documents and morphed photographs showing him with top Indian dignitaries such as the prime minister and the president to make his claims appear Jain's arrest, the STF seized four vehicles with fake diplomatic number plates, 12 forged diplomatic passports, two fake PAN cards, 34 rubber stamps of different countries and companies, and two fake press agency also recovered Rs 44.7 lakh in cash, foreign currency, documents linked to several companies, and 18 more fake diplomatic number plates. Fake seals purportedly from the Ministry of External Affairs were also Director General of Police Amitabh Yash said, 'The accused was running the bogus embassy from a rented house and projected himself as a consul or ambassador of non-existent countries such as West Arctica, Saborga, Poulvia, and Lodonia, and moved around in vehicles bearing fake diplomatic number plates.'During interrogation, Jain claimed he had links in the past with controversial godman Chandraswami and international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi. Officials added that in 2011, he had been booked in a case involving possession of an illegal satellite phone.A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered at the Kavi Nagar police station. The STF said further proceedings are underway to investigate the full extent of the racket and any additional people or companies involved.


The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
CM Naidu meets Indian High Commissioner in Singapore, investors
'Andhra Pradesh offers abundant opportunities for investment across multiple sectors,' said Naidu in an official release. He said that Andhra Pradesh is the most suitable destination for global investments, highlighting strengths in the green energy, electronics, ports, logistics and manufacturing sectors. Amaravati, Jul 27 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, as part of his five-day visit to Singapore, met the Indian High Commissioner and several investors on Sunday and showcased the state's vast potential. The CM held talks with Indian High Commissioner Shilpak Ambule, who shared insights into Singapore's achievements in diverse areas, its robust economic growth and the effective public policies being implemented there. Naidu shared details of the state's newly introduced policies, aimed at attracting investments across various sectors. The state has set an ambitious target of producing 160 gigawatts of green energy, he added. He informed the High Commissioner that green hydrogen projects have already been launched in Visakhapatnam (in partnership with NTPC) and Kakinada. Under the India Quantum Mission, Andhra Pradesh is set to establish the country's 'first-ever Quantum Valley' in Amaravati, said Naidu, adding that global tech leader Google is setting up a data center in Visakhapatnam. Highlighting Andhra's industrial potential, the CM said Rayalaseema is ideal for defence and aerospace units and urged support to make the state a gateway for Singaporean investments. Ambule informed the CM that on several sectors, the Singaporean companies are exploring investment opportunities in Andhra Pradesh, including electronics, semiconductor manufacturing, shipbuilding, port operations, data centers and pharmaceuticals. According to the release, major Asia-Pacific firms headquartered in Singapore, including STT (ST Telemedia)–which specialises in digital infrastructure and data centers and Keppel Corporation–which operates in infrastructure, energy, and urban development have shown interest in investing in Andhra Pradesh. Similarly, Equinix, a global leader in data centers and internet connectivity services and PSA International-a port operating company and logistics firms have shown interest in investing in Andhra Pradesh. The meeting also focused on collaboration in fields such as artificial intelligence, startups, medical device research, and academic partnerships between universities in the southern state and Singapore. Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Nara Lokesh shared plans for expanding higher education institutions while Municipal Minister P Narayana presented state's housing schemes, inspired by Singapore's successful public housing model. Later, Naidu met the representatives from Surbana Jurong, a global urban infrastructure company who has shown interest in investing in Andhra Pradesh and invited them to join large-scale housing projects under the state's 'Housing for All' initiative. The CM explained that the state is focusing on infrastructure development projects and highlighted the development of 20 ports and 15 airports, positioning itself as a logistics hub. Similarly, Eversendai Engineering, a Malaysia-based construction firm, has shown interest in investing in Andhra Pradesh after its chairman Tan Sri Dato' AK Nathan met Naidu. They discussed plans to set up a state-of-the-art manufacturing factory and integrated training center in the state, with Visakhapatnam or Krishnapatnam shortlisted as possible locations. The proposed factory, spread over two lakh square meters, will aid nationwide product distribution, boost industrial growth, and create large-scale employment opportunities across Andhra Pradesh's emerging industrial zones, said the release. Eversendai also expressed interest in Amaravati's infrastructure projects and proposed a structural engineering training center with IIT Tirupati and IIIT Sri City as knowledge partners. PTI MS GDK KH This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.


The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
BSF gets 5k body cameras, biometrics capturing devices for Bangladesh border
The two policy decisions to bolster BSF capabilities at this front have been taken in the wake of the stepped up security arrangements along the border following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh on August 5, 2024. Official sources in the security establishment told PTI that a select number of border outposts (BOPs) of the force along the 4,096 kms front are also being equipped with gadgets to capture biometrics like finger prints and iris (eyes) scan of illegal Bangladeshis for sharing this data to the Foreigners Registration Office (FRO). New Delhi, Jul 27 (PTI) More than 5,000 body-worn cameras are being provided to Border Security Force troops guarding the India-Bangladesh international border as part of a measure to record visuals and evidence of deporting illegal Bangladeshis apart from instances of criminals attacking the personnel on duty. The sources said the Union home ministry recently approved these two proposals of the BSF headquarters following a 'comprehensive review' of the security situation along the Bangladesh border. About 5,000 body-worn cameras are being sent in two batches to BSF troops guarding the India-Bangladesh international border. These cameras are night-vision enabled and can record about 12-14 hours of footage, the sources said. The cameras will be helpful in recording the facts and evidence when BSF troops deport illegal Bangladeshis or engage with miscreants to stop cross-border crimes like drugs, cattle and fake Indian currency notes (FICN) smuggling apart from human trafficking and infiltration, they said. The recordings will also act as evidence in cases where BSF troops are attacked by criminals from both the countries, the sources said. Bangladesh and its force Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been claiming at bilateral forums that their nationals are being killed by the Indian side using extraordinary force and in an unjustified manner while the BSF has always maintained it opens non-lethal or lethal fire as a last resort to save the life of the troopers, the sources said. These instances will be recorded now by these body-worn cameras and act as proof when required for an investigation, they said. The sources said some select and 'vulnerable' BSF BOPs from the point of view of cross-border infiltration are also being installed with biometrics data recording machines that will capture the fingerprints and eye scans of illegal Bangladeshis caught by the BSF on this front. This biometric data will be shared with the FRO to create an evidence-based database against infiltrators and illegal Bangladeshis trying to sneak into India, they said. The Union home ministry, post the Pahalgam terror attack, has asked all states to check and deport illegal Bangladeshis living in their jurisdictions. As per official data, the BSF, till July 15 this year, has apprehended 1,372 Bangladeshis infiltrating into India from this front while it caught or was handed over by various state police forces over 3,536 such men and women while crossing over from India to the other side. The recorded figures for last year were 2,425 (incoming) and 1,049 (outgoing). As many as 77 instances of attack on BSF personnel by miscreants from both India and Bangladesh have been recorded last year at the border while 35 such incidents have been reported till June this year on this front, according to the data. PTI NES KVK KVK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.