New Delhi, July 24 : The Supreme Court on Thursday put a partial stay on the Bombay High Court’s verdict that had acquitted 12 men in the 2006 Mumbai train blast case. However, the top court made it clear that the acquitted individuals will not be re-arrested.
The bench said the High Court’s judgment should not be treated as a precedent in any other case. “All respondents were released and thus no question to bring them back to prison. However, on the question of law, we will say that impugned judgment is not treated as precedent.Therefore, to that extent, let there be a stay,” the court said.
The top court also issued a notice to the accused while hearing a petition filed by the Maharashtra government challenging the High Court’s acquittal.
The state, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, argued that the High Court’s ruling could affect other cases under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Earlier, the court had noted that staying an acquittal was a “rarest of rare” situation.(KNS)
