Describing the serial bombing incident as “atrocious”, the Supreme Court on October 4 declined to give bail to some of the convicts in the 1998 Coimbatore serial bomb blast case who had cited the long pendency of their appeal to secure a reprieve.
When 19 bomb explosions rocked the Coimbatore city in Tamil Nadu between February 14 and 17, 1998, 58 persons were killed and over 250 injured. In the terror attack, the improvised explosive devices (IEDs), with time delay mechanisms, had been placed in cars, two-wheelers, abandoned bags, push carts, tea cans and so on. SA Basha and Mohammed Ansari, leaders of the Muslim militant organisation Al-Umma, were the prime convicts in the case. The serial blasts took place before the scheduled public meeting of the then BJP president L K Advani and others.
Of the 166 accused in the case, the trial court in August 2007 pronounced 69 persons guilty of different offences. In December 2009, the Madras High Court upheld the convictions of 18 people, 17 life terms and one 13-year term in the blast case. The bench acquitted 22 people of all charges for want of sufficient evidence. Most of the life-term convicts approached the Supreme Court in appeal.
The convicts were approaching the apex court, challenging the Madras High Court verdict, upholding their conviction and sentence being listed for the first week of February 2024. At the outset, Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid, appearing for convicts, submitted, “We have been in custody for the last 25 years.” At this, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul enquired, “How many people died?” “58 people died”, replied Senior Advocate V Giri, opposing the bail. “They (convicts) have been convicted for something where 58 people have died…. What is the sentence imposed?” Justice Kaul asked. The bench comprising Justices C T Ravikumar and Sudhanshu Dhulia, which was hearing the matter, said Life sentence….24 blasts operation and 250 persons were injured and apart from the lost lives, what they have done to the city is unforgivable. Bail is out of the question. All of us are unanimous that the bail cannot be granted…You may be inside for 25 years, but 58 people died in this incident.
That is a good enough reason for you to remain inside. The nature of the crime is an important factor (in granting bail). The bail applications are dismissed.
Justice Dhulia added, “Look what you have done…. The nature of the crime is an important factor.” Bail applications are dismissed. Let the matter be listed on the regular board in the first week of February. Each matter should be picked up individually, and sentences should be awarded accordingly”.
There have been persistent and consistent demands from the Muslim outfits, VCK, Dravidar Kazhagam, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), left, fringe outfits like Naam Tamizhar Katchi led by Seeman, May 17 movement and others. It is learnt a list of around 50 life convicts, including 20 Muslim convicts, who were considered for premature release under a provision of Article 161 of the Indian Constitution on medical grounds, was forwarded to Raj Bhavan from the State Home Department, seeking the approval of Governor RN Ravi Ravi. It was forwarded to the Governor’s office three weeks ago (last month). The people who lost their loved ones in the blasts are upping their ante, urging they should not be released prematurely.
Responding to Papanasam MLA and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi leader Prof MH Jawahirullah’s appeal for the premature release of Muslim convicts in the State Assembly in May this year, State Law Minister S Regupathy said that 15 Muslim life convicts were likely to benefit under the amnesty scheme based on the recommendation of retired High Court Judge Adinathan-headed panel.
Earlier, the AIADMK regime also moved to release them early, but this could not be done due to opposition and failure to get the nod from the Governor.
Apart from 45-year-old life convict NS Abdul Hakeem, who died due to a brain tumour last month, SA Basha (82) and Thaajuddeen (60), who were arrested in the serial bomb blast case, and ten other life convicts imprisoned in connection with the serial bomb blasts in Coimbatore two decades ago.
