On the evening of July 11, 2006, seven blasts had ripped through first class compartments on Mumbai's local trains in 11 minutes. We take a look at the case as the court is expected to sentence the accused on September 30.
More than 800 people were injured and 189 killed. The RDX bombs were kept in pressure cookers and placed in trains on the Western line. The blasts occurred between 6:24 and 6:35 pm, when lakhs of office-goers use Mumbai's local trains to get back home from work.
13 people, allegedly members of banned organisation the Students Islamic Movement of India or SIMI, were arrested on various charges
The police say 15 people accused in the 7/11 bombings are still absconding, among them the masterminds of the terror plot. In their chargesheet, the police have named Pakistani nationals and members of the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The Supreme Court had stayed trial in the case in 2008 as it heard a petition by the accused, who had challenged the provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act or MCOCA under which they were charged. Trial resumed two years later, after a go-ahead from the Supreme Court. The Special MCOCA court finished trial in August last year.
12 of 13 men accused of planting bombs on Mumbai's local trains were found guilty of terrorist activities and mass murder earlier this month. Arguments on what punishment they should be given are now complete and the court is expected to sentence them next week, on September 3o. The prosecution has sought the death penalty for eight of 12 men convicted and for the other four, they have sought a life term.