Eleven years ago on this day, 13 July, Mumbai was rocked by three bomb blasts. The blasts, which left 27 dead and over 127 injured, brought the financial capital to a standstill.
Also known as 13/7, the blasts ripped through Zaveri Bazaar, Opera House and Dadar within minutes of each other between 6.52pm and 7.05pm. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which began probing the case, stated that the explosives were assembled at a flat in Byculla, before being placed on stolen scooters. These scooters were planted at the three sites to ensure maximum loss of life and property during the rush hour.
The investigation details:
In 2012, the Maharashtra ATS claimed to have cracked open the case. According to the agency, the attack was planned by the banned organisation Indian Mujahideen, led by Yasin Bhatkal.
The charge sheets filed by the agency named 11 people, including Bhatkal as well as some absconders who had allegedly fled after planting the bombs at the three sites.
The other accused in the case include Naquee Ahmed, who is said to be an informer of the Delhi Police Special Cell, his associate Nadeem Akhtar as well as Haroon Naik, Kafeel Ahmed, Sayed Ismail, Asadullah Akhtar, Kalwan Patreja, Ajaz Shaikh, Saddam Hussain Khan and Zainul Abedin.
Out of them, Naquee Ahmed and Madeem Akhtar have been accused of helping Bhatkal in renting the Byculla apartment where the explosives were assembled. The ATS has also levied charges of indoctrinating the youth on Kafeel Ahmed, according to an Indian Express report. Patreja has been accused of facilitating a hawala transaction of Rs 10 lakh for the blasts.
Status of the trial:
The 13/7 blasts case has faced several hurdles. The trials have been stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the fact that several accused in the case are either lodged at separate prisons across India. For example, one of the accused, Ajaz Shaikh, is facing a death sentence in the Hyderabad blasts case as well.
In the years since the blast occurred, some of the accused have claimed that there is no evidence to show their involvement in procuring or planting the explosives. However, in 2019, the special MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) court passed an order to frame charges against the 11 accused.
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