Bombay HC grants bail to Pune serial blasts accused after 11 years without trial
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The Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to Munib Memon, a 42-year-old tailor accused in connection with the 2012 Pune serial blasts. Memon had been in custody since his arrest in December 2012, remaining imprisoned for over 11 years while awaiting trial.
The court observed that there had been significant delays in the case, with the charges being framed only in 2022 and the first witness taking the stand as recently as February 2024.
A bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Sharmila Deshmukh expressed concern over the prolonged detention, noting that the trial's conclusion within a reasonable time frame seemed unlikely. Although the prosecution initially named 300 witnesses in the chargesheet, it has since reduced the number to 107, with only eight witnesses examined to date.
The court underscored the importance of the right to a speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution, citing the ongoing delays as a key factor in granting Memon's bail.
The case revolves around bomb blasts allegedly planned in retaliation for the death of Quatil Siddique, an Indian Mujahideen member accused of conspiring to bomb the Dagadu Sheth Ganpati Mandir in Pune.
Given the slow progress of the trial, the court deemed Memon’s continued detention unjustified.
