The 12 convicts of the July 11, 2006, Mumbai train bombings on Monday pleaded for minimum sentence, citing a range of grounds from ill health, poor condition of family members, reformation through educational courses undertaken during incarceration and even being falsely implicated in the case.

Each of them presented his case for leniency in person before a special MCOCA court, which convicted them of murder, criminal conspiracy, waging war against the nation on Saturday. The court has to hear the final arguments for sentencing.

One of the accused, Sajid Ansari, told the court, “I am innocent like those who got bail in the Malegaon 2006 case. The ATS has falsely implicated me based on false evidence. The court has failed to recognise the false evidence. I have sympathy for the victims and empathise with their pain. I am a victim of the blasts myself. I therefore pray that I be given the minimum sentence.”

Many of the convicts told the court of the educational courses and degrees they pursued during imprisonment to drive home the aspect of reformation. Asif Bashir Khan alias Junaid, one of the key conspirators and planters, invoked Mahatma Gandhi. He said he had read 27 books on Gandhiji which “transformed me from within” and “kindled in me the spirit of serving the society.” Claiming innocence, he said, he “forgave the ATS and would not wish upon the ATS what my wife and children have gone through in the last nine years of my imprisonment.”

Citing good behaviour in jail, the accused said they were not a danger to society, had old and ailing parents back home to take care of.

Arguing against the death penalty, defence advocate Prakash Shetty said while the crime was of a serious nature, the evidence on record was of a “weak” nature and therefore not sufficient to sentence them to death.