Mumbai bombings accused retract confessions

Seven Muslim men have retracted their confessions in the deadly July 11 train bombings in Mumbai, India, claiming they were beaten by police and forced to admit to the crime.

The seven men retracted the confessions yesterday because “no voluntary truthful confession was taken,” said their lawyer, Shaid Azmi.

However, this does not mean the confessions are worthless. The prosecution case remains intact as onus is on the defence to show the confessions were made under duress, the Times of India newspaper reported today, quoting legal experts.

The seven men are among the 16 people accused of exploding seven bombs on commuter trains in Mumbai on July 11, killing more than 200 people.

Fifteen of the suspects are in custody and one is at large.