Babu Bajrangi withdraws bail application from Gujarat HC

Former Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi, serving life sentence in the 2002 Naroda Patiya massacre case, on Monday withdrew his bail application from the Gujarat High Court.

Currently lodged at Sabarmati Central Jail here, Bajrangi decided to drop the bail application being heard by the division bench of justices Harsha Devani and A S Supehia. In his bail application, Bajrangi had cited his deteriorating health condition, including "blindness and deafness in one ear" as the reason. In its earlier hearing, the high court had asked the jail authorities to provide details about how he was leading his life in jail following his blindness. It had also asked whether Bajrangi had an attendant to help him carry out his daily activities.

Today, the SIT submitted before the court that there are several people leading a regular life despite losing their eyesight. It also said Bajrangi was being provided with an attendant to take him to dispensaries and for other activities. However, the high court directed the jail authorities to depute a regular attendant for him to help him carry out his daily activities, which the jail officials agreed to provide.

In August 2012, a special court had sentenced Bajrangi to life imprisonment till death in the Naroda Patiya massacre case, in which 97 people, mostly of minority community were killed.
The same court had sentenced former minister Maya Kodnani to 28 years jail. The division bench is also hearing a petition moved by 31 convicts, including Kodnani, in Naroda Patiya massacre case, challenging SIT court order, which had sentenced all of them to life imprisonment.