A special court in Mumbai today convicted 12 of the 13 accused for their role in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts that killed 188 people and injured more than 800. Special judge Yatin D Shinde of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA) court had concluded the trial on August 19 last year. The judge is likely to pronounce the sentence on Monay,

The 12 convicted are - Kamal Ahmed Mohammed Vakil Ansari,  Mohammed Faisal Ataur Rahman Shaikh,  Ehtesham Kutubuddin Sidduqui,  Naveed Hussain Khan Rasheed Hussain Khan, Asif Khan, Dr Tanvir Ansari, Mohammed Majid Shafi, Shaikh Mohammed Ali Alam Shaikh, Mohammeed Ansari, , Muzammil Sheikh, Soheil Shaikh, Zameer Shaikh.

The verdict comes nine years after the blasts targeted the crowded suburban train services in 2006 during the evening peak hours. The bombs that went off in a span of just 11 minutes, were kept in pressure cookers and went off in north-bound locals on Western Railway. Bhayander, Borivali, Jogeshwari, Khar Road, Bandra, Mahim and Matunga Road were targeted. The blast occurred between Khar Road-Santacruz, Bandra-Khar Road, Jogeshwari-Mahim Junction, Mira Road-Bhayander, Matunga- Mahim Junction and Borivali.

In a trial that lasted for eight years, the prosecution examined 192 witnesses, including eight Indian Police Service (IPS) and five Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers and 18 doctors. The defence lawyers examined 51 witnesses and one person was called as a court witness.

The deposition made by witnesses runs into around 5,500 pages.

Examination of witnesses resumed after two years since the supreme court had stayed the trial in 2008. Before the stay, the prosecution had already examined a police officer. The supreme court vacated the stay on April 23, 2010.