I feel the system is so sick: Manisha Das

Manisha Das, a 20-year-old hotel management student was eight when she lost her parents and elder brother in a blast in Delhi's popular Sarojini Nagar market as the family was out enjoying festivities ahead of Diwali in 2005. As Manisha grew, she began to follow the court proceedings hoping for justice not just for her family but several others.

Manisha is in a shock as the prosecution failed to establish that those facing charges planted bombs or were part of the conspiracy. "The system is so sick that it could not produce evidence to prove the accused guilty even after 12 years of arrest. This has come as a slap on our faces," she said.

The family has been in financial crisis since then as Manisha's father Michael Das was the only bread earner. "We received the compensation only after eight years of the blast and things have been very difficult to manage. My husband, Bhagwan Das, is retired and it has been difficult to manage the expenses. All the money that we have got has been used to meet the educational expenses of Manisha," said Celina Das, Miachel's mother, adding, they did not even get the her son's body while received half the part of her grandson's body.

The packed courtroom in the Patiala House courts was divided in two emotions after the verdict Thursday. On one hand were tears, despair and anger against the system and police in their failure to prove the accused guilty. On the other hand was happiness and a sigh of relief on the faces of the family of the accused who were acquitted in the 2005 Sarojini Nagar Blast case.

"We know that justice has prevailed. But at the same time we are unhappy that the real perpetrators are still at large. I can understand the grief of the families who lost their near and dear ones," said MS Rishi, Rafique Shah's brother in law.

Rafique Shah, a resident of Srinagar, was arrested for hatching a conspiracy to conduct blasts at three various places in Delhi which claimed over 60 lives.

The family narrates how they have been facing problems from the last so many years.

"It has been a tough time. Every time we have to come for hearing booking expensive tickets. It has been a harrowing time for us. Rafique was pursuing MA in Islamic Studies when he was arrested. He wanted to do PHD but could not. Had this incident not happened, he would have been a great academician," said Mehmooda, Rafique's mother.

The benches outside the court room were occupied by the families of the accused and the victims respectively but none of them shared glances with each other, or speak to each other.

Amidst a tense environment with police forces guarding the accused, were hopeful eyes waiting for justice from both sides.

Ashok Randhawa, the then President of the Sarojini Nagar Market Association, said that they are going to appeal in the High Court against the decision.

On the other hand, the accused' family had been waiting for this judgment since the last 12 years. The families were waiting for their loved ones with bated breath.