Updated on: Nov 03, 2025 | Mumbai

After years of delay, the Bombay High Court on Monday cleared the way for the long-pending trial of Zabiuddin Ansari, also known as Abu Jundal, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, to resume. The High Court quashed a 2018 order by a trial court that had directed authorities to furnish confidential documents to the accused, which had stalled proceedings for over seven years.

A bench of Justice R. N. Laddha allowed the petition filed by the Delhi Police, Ministry of Civil Aviation, and Ministry of External Affairs, challenging the lower court’s decision. The trial court had earlier directed the agencies to provide certain documents Ansari claimed would prove he was illegally detained in Saudi Arabia before being deported to India.

Why the Trial Was Stalled

The order from the trial court in 2018 triggered a legal standoff. The government agencies argued that the documents sought by Ansari were classified and releasing them would compromise national security. Consequently, they moved the Bombay High Court seeking to halt the order.

With the High Court’s latest ruling, the path has been cleared for the Special Court in Mumbai to resume the proceedings in one of India’s most significant terror cases.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, argued that the trial court’s 2018 order was “bad in law” and violated established principles concerning confidential state documents. Justice Laddha accepted the Centre’s contention, observing that the trial must move forward without compromising the security apparatus or ongoing intelligence processes.

The Role of Abu Jundal in the 26/11 Attacks

According to investigators, Abu Jundal, a native of Beed in Maharashtra, was a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative and a key handler in the November 26, 2008 Mumbai attacks, which left 166 people dead, including several foreigners.

Jundal allegedly played a critical role in the training and preparation of the ten Pakistani terrorists who carried out the assault on Mumbai’s landmarks — including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Leopold Café, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, and Nariman House.

Investigators allege that Jundal was responsible for teaching the attackers Hindi and familiarising them with Mumbai’s topography and local customs to help them blend in during the mission.

His voice was reportedly one of those intercepted from a Karachi-based control room directing the attackers in real-time as the siege unfolded over three days.

Arrest, Deportation, and Other Cases

Ansari fled India following the 2006 Aurangabad arms haul case, in which he was one of seven people later sentenced to life imprisonment under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). He is believed to have first escaped to Bangladesh, then to Pakistan, and eventually taken refuge in Saudi Arabia.

Indian intelligence agencies traced him in Saudi Arabia in 2012, confirming his identity through DNA samples collected from his family in Beed. Following high-level diplomatic efforts, he was deported to India in June 2012.

The Special Cell of Delhi Police claimed that Jundal was arrested near Delhi airport upon his arrival. However, the accused contended that he was detained illegally before being brought to India, which led to his 2018 application seeking official documents to support his claim.

Multiple Investigations and Arrests

Since his deportation, Jundal has faced numerous charges filed by various investigative agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and police forces from Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat.

Authorities claim that during his interrogation, Jundal admitted to meeting Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed and other top commanders, and discussed recruitment drives using digital networks to radicalise young men.

The 26/11 Attacks and Aftermath

On the night of November 26, 2008, ten heavily armed Pakistani terrorists infiltrated Mumbai via the Arabian Sea, unleashing coordinated attacks across the city. Over three days, they held Mumbai hostage, killing civilians, police officers, and foreign nationals before being neutralised by Indian security forces.

The only terrorist captured alive, Ajmal Kasab, was convicted in 2010 and executed in November 2012 at Pune’s Yerwada Jail. The attacks were traced to Lashkar-e-Taiba, based in Pakistan, and were widely condemned globally as one of the deadliest acts of terrorism in modern history.

What Happens Next

With the Bombay High Court’s decision, the Special Court is expected to resume Jundal’s trial soon, reviving one of India’s most high-profile terror cases. The state government and central agencies are coordinating to ensure that witnesses, including forensic experts and intelligence officers, are available to testify.

A senior Maharashtra home department official confirmed that security around the proceedings will be significantly tightened given the sensitive nature of the case.

The resumption of the trial marks an important step toward closure in a case that continues to cast a long shadow over India’s counterterrorism efforts and its pursuit of justice for the victims of 26/11.