Pune serial blasts case: Two IM suspects move HC for bail

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Two alleged Indian Mujahideen operatives Asad Khan and Imran Khan, held for their complicity in Pune’s serial blasts of 2012, on Monday urged bail from Bombay High Court saying that the investigating agency had not filed charge sheet against them within the mandatory period.

Both of them had urged a Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court earlier for bail which rejected their plea on April 22 this year. Being aggrieved, they moved the High Court challenging the special court’s order.

Their appeals came up before a bench of Justices P V Hardas and P N Deshmukh, who allowed the accused to carry out certain amendments in their applications. The matter will come up before the same bench in due course.

Usha Kejriwal and Raja Thakre appeared for the state.

Both the accused were arrested in Delhi and brought to Mumbai to stand trial in this case. According to ATS, the duo was alleged associates of IM co-founder Riyaz Bhatkal and had carried out the serial blasts in Pune on August 1, 2012, on Jungli Maharaj Road, in which one person was injured.

The appellants have raised legal issues on three grounds — invoking Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), challenging the jurisdiction of Magistrate’s court to deal with scheduled offences and questioning the authority of Anti-Terrorism Squad to probe scheduled offences in provisions of NIA Act before JMFC, Pune.

The accused said, on January 5, 2013, the respondents had abruptly invoked MCOCA against them although no case was made out under this stringent Act. On March 21, they moved the special court for bail as chargesheet was not filed within the mandatory 90 day period. However, the bail was rejected.

On a prosecution plea, the court extended the period for filing charge sheet for another 45 days which the accused said was illegal as they were not heard in the matter.

The accused urged the bench to quash the order of the special court rejecting their bail and urged for release.

On August 1, 2012, 3 low intensity blasts were reported from different places on Jungli Maharaj Road, a popular hang-out for college students, in Pune. The bombs were fitted in bicycles and dustbins.