Pune, July 21 (PTI) Rahil Shaikh vividly remembers the unwavering faith his brother Suhail Mehmood Shaikh, one of the 12 accused in the 7/11 Mumbai serial train blasts case, placed in the judiciary, irrespective of hardships and stigma faced by him and his kin for 19 long years.
On Monday, Suhail and 11 others were acquitted by the Bombay High Court, noting the prosecution utterly failed to prove the case and it was “hard to believe the accused committed the crime”.
“We had all lost hope, but my brother never did,” Rahil said, moments after the verdict that ended an ordeal spanning nearly two decades and lifted the long-standing stigma on their family.
The High Court quashed the conviction of 12 persons in the July 11, 2006 Mumbai train blasts case and acquitted them, noting the prosecution had “utterly failed” to prove the case against them.
On July 11, 2006, seven blasts ripped through Mumbai local trains at various locations on the Western Line, killing more than 180 people and injuring several others.
“Today, we are all happy after hearing the verdict of the Bombay High Court. We had lost hope, but my brother never did. Even during the judgement by the lower court, which convicted him and sentenced him to life imprisonment, he kept telling us he had done nothing wrong and urged us to have faith in the judiciary, saying the truth would prevail,” Rahil, who works at a fabrication unit in Pune’s Kondhwa, told PTI.
Suhail, who earlier worked as a rafoo (fabric repair) artist and also acted as a faith healer, was arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for his alleged involvement in the coordinated blasts.
Rahil said the arrest of his brother changed the lives of the entire family, including Suhail’s wife and three children.
“We lost our parents over the years. Stigma followed us everywhere. I had to change dozens of jobs. Suhail’s wife, two sons, daughter, and my own family faced immense hardships. Important documents like the ration card and LPG connection were seized by the investigation agencies, making day-to-day life difficult,” Rahil said, choking up with emotion.
He said that while justice was delayed, it had finally been delivered.
“We lost hope after the lower court convicted all 12 accused. But my brother never wavered. He kept saying that since he had done nothing wrong, justice would prevail. And today, his words have come true,” he said.
Suhail, who is now in his late 50s, has a daughter who is married and two sons who are all working.
“As soon as we heard the news of the acquittal, we were overwhelmed. I called up Suhail bhai at the Amravati jail where he is currently lodged. While speaking to him, I choked. He reminded me of what he used to say. Now, we will leave for Amravati to bring him home,” Rahil added.
Anjum Inamdar, a social activist from the community, said, “The judiciary has once again shown that an innocent person will not be punished. As a community, we stand by Suhail and his family and will support them in rebuilding their lives and being accepted back into society.” Suhail Shaikh and three others were released on Monday evening from Amravati Central Jail. PTI SPK NSK
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