NEW DELHI — Nineteen years after the 2006 Mumbai local train bombings shook the nation, the Bombay High Court has finally given a historic verdict that has cleared the names of 12 Muslim men who were wrongly accused and jailed for years. The ruling is being seen as a rare moment of truth in India’s troubled judicial history — and much of the credit goes to one man: Dr. Abdul Wahid Sheikh, a school teacher who himself was falsely arrested, tortured, and imprisoned for nine years.
“The truth has finally come out, but who will return our lost years, our dignity, our families?” said Dr. Sheikh in a statement after the court’s decision. “This fight was not just mine. It was a fight for truth, for justice, for our community.”
On 11 July 2006, bombs exploded on seven local trains during the peak evening rush hour in Mumbai. The tragedy left 189 people dead and over 800 injured. It was one of the deadliest terror attacks in India.
The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of Maharashtra responded quickly — but not wisely. In a move that many human rights groups now call “a rush to justice”, they arrested several Muslim men, accusing them of planning and executing the blasts. Among them was Abdul Wahid Sheikh, a schoolteacher from Mumbai.
“I was a teacher. I was not even politically active,” Sheikh once told a gathering of students in a college seminar after his release. “They picked me up and said I was a terrorist. They beat me until I confessed to things I didn’t do.”
He was brutally tortured in custody and made to sign false confessions. After spending nine years in jail, he was acquitted in 2015 by the Sessions Court — the first accused to be declared innocent in the case.
What sets Dr. Sheikh apart is what he did after being acquitted. Instead of walking away quietly and rebuilding his own life, he took up the cause of the others who were still rotting in jail — many of them poor, working-class Muslims, unable to afford strong legal help.
He began writing, speaking, and campaigning for their release. In 2019, he published a powerful book, “Innocent Prisoner”, in which he detailed the torture he and others faced in custody.
“They would tie us naked, beat us for hours, and not allow sleep. They threatened our families. And all this for what? So they could close the case quickly and call themselves heroes,” Sheikh wrote.
The book shocked many and became a rallying point for legal and human rights activists across the country. “He refused to forget those who were left behind,” said senior advocate Mihir Desai, who helped with the legal battle. “If not for Wahid Sheikh, these 12 men would still be in jail.”
On 18 July 2025, the Bombay High Court finally gave its ruling. Twelve men, who had been convicted earlier, were acquitted honourably. The court declared that there was no solid evidence against them and that the investigation was deeply flawed.
“The prosecution failed to provide any trustworthy or direct evidence. These accused were victims of a miscarriage of justice,” the court observed in its 300-page judgement.
The acquittal has sparked both relief and anger — relief for the families who suffered for two decades, and anger at the way the justice system handled the case.
“My son was arrested when he was 22. Now he’s almost 40. Who will give him back his life?” said a mother who broke down outside the court.
Another family member of the acquitted said, “Our relatives cut ties with us. We lived like criminals without doing anything wrong.”
This case has once again raised questions about the systematic targeting of Muslims in terror cases in India. Over the last two decades, many young Muslim men have been arrested in high-profile cases — only to be acquitted many years later due to lack of evidence.
“Muslims in India are often presumed guilty until proven innocent,” said Asaduddin Owaisi, a Member of Parliament, reacting to the verdict. “The question is not just about justice, but about accountability. Who will punish those who jailed innocent men for 15-20 years?”
Social activist Teesta Setalvad, speaking to reporters, said, “This is not just a legal failure. It is a moral and political failure. If a Hindu or upper-caste man had been tortured like this, would the media have been silent?”
Despite the verdict, there has been no official apology from the police, the ATS, or the state government.
“Is this the value of a Muslim’s life in this country?” asked Abdul Wahid Sheikh during a press conference. “No apology, no punishment for the officers who tortured us, no compensation. Are we not citizens of India?”
Rights groups have now demanded a full investigation into how the ATS handled the case and whether there was deliberate targeting of Muslim youth.
Even after acquittal, the pain doesn’t end. Most of the men have lost their jobs, their homes, and even family ties.
“People still look at us with doubt. They say maybe we got out because of some political deal. This label of ‘terrorist’ sticks forever,” said one of the acquitted men, who requested anonymity.
Abdul Wahid Sheikh continues to work as a teacher but now spends most of his time writing, campaigning, and speaking at events. His focus remains on legal reforms and police accountability.
“I will not stop until laws are changed and the police cannot arrest people without solid proof. What happened to us must never happen to anyone else again,” he said.
Interestingly, Abdul Wahid Sheikh often mentions how he and his companions held on to Islamic traditions even inside jail. One such practice was the use of the miswak — the Islamic tooth-stick — before prayers.
“It cleans the mouth and pleases Allah,” he wrote in his book. “Even in jail, we would try to find a small twig and clean our teeth before Namaaz. It gave us hope.”
Medical experts have also backed the use of miswak, saying it helps prevent plaque, fights germs, and strengthens the gums.
This case has shown how broken systems, biased investigations, and communal thinking can ruin innocent lives.
More importantly, it has shown how one man — a schoolteacher, not a politician — stood up for the truth, even when everyone turned their back.
“India needs more Abdul Wahid Sheikhs,” said journalist Rana Ayyub. “People who speak, write, and stand for justice, even when the system wants them silent.”
As the families prepare to rebuild their lives, they know one thing: they were not alone. They had a voice. And that voice was Abdul Wahid Sheikh.
