HC grants bail to Munib Memon in 2012 Pune serial blasts case

The Bombay High Court has granted bail to Munib Iqbal Memon, an accused in the 2012 Pune serial blasts, who has been in jail for nearly 12 years without trial. A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Sharmila Deshmukh approved Memon's release on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and sureties of the same amount, citing his prolonged detention. Memon, a 42-year-old tailor, was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for his alleged involvement in the coordinated explosions that took place on August 1, 2012, at Jangli Maharaj Road in Pune.

Memon’s lawyer, Mubin Solkar, argued that his client’s detention without a trial violated his right to a speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution. The court had previously expedited the case and ordered the trial to be completed by December 2023, but delays persisted, leading to this bail plea. Despite rejecting an earlier request for bail in 2022, the court acknowledged that the lengthy detention could no longer be ignored. The prosecution had charged Memon under multiple laws, including the Indian Penal Code, UAPA, and MCOCA.

The blasts, which injured one person and saw unexploded bombs defused, were attributed to the Indian Mujahideen. The trial is ongoing, with two other accused still in Tihar Jail and the remaining in custody near Mumbai.