The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that putting a stay (temporary stop) on an acquittal is a “rarest of rare” case. This comment came while hearing the Maharashtra Government’s request to challenge the acquittal of 12 people accused in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts.

Chief Justice of India BR Gavai made the observation when the case came before his bench again. “What’s the hurry? 8 have already been released. A stay on acquittal is extremely rare,” he said. Earlier, on Tuesday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Maharashtra ATS (Anti-Terrorism Squad), asked the court for an urgent hearing. The court agreed to hear the case on Thursday. On Wednesday, a lawyer for the state mentioned that the petition had a small issue, part of the High Court order was in Hindi. The lawyer said it would be fixed and asked the court to go ahead with the hearing.

The lawyer also said, “We might be able to convince the court that this case is rare enough to allow a stay.” Earlier this week, the Bombay High Court cancelled the 2009 verdict that had given death sentences to 5 accused (one has died) and life imprisonment to 7 others. The court said the prosecution had failed to prove the charges and added that it was hard to believe the accused had committed the crime.

The judges noted problems with the investigation, like possible torture by police, pressure on officers, delays in witness testimonies, and weak evidence like RDX and explosives. The 2006 Mumbai train blasts killed over 180 people when seven bombs exploded on local trains during rush hour. It remains one of the worst terror attacks in India.