HC grants 5-day parole to 7/11 train blasts case convict mother’s 40th day rituals
The Bombay High Court on Thursday granted a five-day parole to Muzammil Shaikh, a convict in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts, to attend his mother’s 40th-day final rituals. The parole, set to commence on June 14 and end on June 19, 2024, allows Shaikh to be temporarily released from Nashik Central Prison
MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Thursday granted a five-day parole to Muzammil Shaikh, a convict in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts, to attend his mother’s 40th-day final rituals. The parole, set to commence on June 14 and end on June 19, 2024, allows Shaikh to be temporarily released from Nashik Central Prison.
In an order by a division bench comprising Justice Bharati Dangre and Justice Manjusha Deshpande, the court directed that Shaikh be released on parole without the requirement of being accompanied by an escort. This decision follows a statement by the Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) SS Kaushik, who conveyed the prison authorities’ willingness to release Shaikh for two days, but the court extended it to five days considering the circumstances.
Shaikh, represented by lawyers Aisha Ansari and Ibraheem KM, sought parole to perform his mother’s final rites. The court’s order stipulated that before his release, Shaikh must execute a personal bond committing to return to the prison by noon on June 19. Also, Shaikh must provide the contact numbers of two family members to confirm their identities and locations before his release.
This decision comes after previous court sessions where the high cost of escort charges imposed on Shaikh was debated. Initially, the escort charges were cited at ₹81,384 per day, which the court found exorbitant and unaffordable for Shaikh, who has been incarcerated for 18 years. His lawyers emphasised Shaikh’s financial incapacity, noting his lack of income and support, as his immediate family members were either deceased or imprisoned.
During Tuesday’s hearing, the court directed the prison authorities to reconsider the escort charges. However, on Thursday, the learned APP stated that there was insufficient time for a fresh analysis of Shaikh’s financial status and that the escort charges, set by the state government, could not be reduced immediately.
Instead, the APP offered to waive the escort requirement if Shaikh and one of his family members executed a personal bond. The court allowed only Shaikh’s personal bond to avoid delays associated with obtaining a surety bond from a family member.