Making it clear that no special urgency would be shown on the bail application of actor Sanjay Dutt, the Supreme Court directed on Tuesday that all pleas by convicts in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts seeking to be released on bail will be heard on November 27.“We would like to pass a general order. Whoever fits into that category will be entitled for relief,” Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, who is part of the three-judge bench hearing the applications, said. The bench was hearing bail requests of four of the convicts today —- Yusuf Mohsin Nallawala, Samir Hingora and Zaibunisa Anwar Qazi, apart from Dutt.The court, however, made it clear that for the next five-six months, it would not be possible to hear the appeals against the judgment. “Only bail pleas would be considered. We are not going to hear it (appeals challenging the conviction) on merit,” remarked the bench, also comprising Justices L S Panta and J M Panchal.During the short hearing, the judges suggested that given the magnitude of the case, the CBI submit a detailed chart in the form of a table, containing relevant information on each of the convicts in the 1993 blasts trial. The CBI counsel ensured that this would be done, including details like under what offences the convicts were charged, their role in the conspiracy and the quantum of sentence awarded to them. Incidentally, the counsel indicated that the CBI was not inclined to oppose the bail applications of the convicts charged with “peripheral” offences under the TADA and Arms Act, as opposed to those accused of substantive offences. Dutt was sentenced to six years under the Arms Act.
