Bombay High Court admits appeals of two triple blasts convicts

The Bombay High Court on Thursday admitted the appeals filed by two convicts Aatif and Hasib Mulla, who were sentenced recently under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) for the 2002-2003 multiple blasts and sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment.

A division bench of justices NH Patil and AM Badar admitted the appeals filed by the two challenging a special POTA court's order convicting them in the blasts case and sentencing them to 10 years. The two convicts have also moved bail applications on which the court issued notices to the Maharashtra government and posted it for hearing after two weeks.

The duo in their appeal claimed that the trial court erred in law in convicting them on the basis of "unreliable, tainted and legally inadmissible evidence" as the prosecution has failed to adduce "cogent and sufficient independent evidence" to prove their involvement.

In his bail plea, Aatif has claimed that while pending the completion of trial, his father had been detected with the final stages of esophagus cancer and was required to undergo sustained medical treatment for the same. He carried out extensive research in the field of cancer and was able to find treatment for cancer based on food supplements that would help in improving the quality as well as the life of cancer patients. After treating his father, he has been treating over 1,000 people for cancer related ailments by providing them with the food supplements procured from the US. He thus claims he is a boon to society and has helped innumerable people who come from the lower strata of the society.

The POTA court had convicted 10 accused, including prime conspirator Saquib Nachan and planter Muzameel Ansari, for planning and executing triple blasts at Mumbai Central, Vile Parle and Mulund in 2002-2003. The court had acquitted three people due to lack of evidence.

On April 6, a special POTA court here had sentenced to life three of the 10 convicted, while Nachan was given a 10-year jail term. Six others were awarded various jail terms ranging from two to 10 years. Twelve people were killed in the Mulund train blasts on March 13, 2003. Prior to that, on December 6, 2002, several persons were injured in a blast at a McDonald's outlet at Mumbai Central station, while a person had died in a blast in a market in Vile Parle (East) on January 27, 2003.