2002-03 Mumbai train blasts: Bombay HC Bench recuses itself from hearing bail plea of four convicts

The court was hearing the appeals of four men convicted for their roles in three explosions, the first of which took place on December 6, 2002, at the McDonalds restaurant at Mumbai Central Railway station, in which 25 persons were injured.

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The second blast took place in January 27, 2003, at Mungibai Market in Vile Parle (E). One person died and 32 others were injured. The third blast that killed 11 people and injured 82, took place on March 13, 2003, in a Karjat-bound local train. Advocate Mubin Solkar, appearing for one of the accused, Ateef Mulla, informed the court that his client’s son was suffering from thalassaemia. Special public prosecutor Rohini Salian was appearing for the state and said that the accused had been convicted under the stringent POTA law.

Solkar said that all charges pertaining to the blasts against Mulla had been dropped and he was being charged only for possession of arms.

However, with the Bench recusing itself from hearing the case any further, it will now come up before a different one.

A special Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) court had on April 6 awarded life imprisonment to three of the 10 convicts in the 2002-2003 Mumbai blasts that killed 12 people between December 2002 and March 2003. Four convicts, including key accused Saquib Nachan, were sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.