German Bakery blast convict seeks NIA probe

The 2010 Pune German Bakery blast death-row convict Himayat Baig has written to the Bombay High Court requesting a fresh probe into the incident by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

He alleged that the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had framed him in the case by fabricating evidence.

Added to this, the statements made by Indian Mujaihideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal—who was arrested last month—that Baig had no connection with the German Bakery Blast, had also shown the weak factors in the case against the death-row convict.

The Pune Sessions Court in April this year awarded him death sentence in the blast that killed 17 people, including five foreigners, and injured 58 others on February 13, 2010.

It is learnt that Baig, lodged in the Mumbai Central Prison, sent his hand-written letter in Marathi to the high court registrar last month, pleading his innocence.

The letter stated: “I have no association with any terrorist organisation. I never got any opportunity to present my case properly because I did not have proper representation. The ATS kept me in illegal detention... administered electric shocks...took signatures on blank papers and at that juncture if I was asked to sign a suicide note my mental condition was such that I would have done it.”

Earlier, on August 12, Baig requested the Bombay High Court to suspend the hearing of his appeal against capital sentence on grounds that he was not properly represented in the lower court and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was yet to complete its probe.

Baig also told the court while no advocate in Pune was willing to represent him in the first stage of trial, the lawyer who took up his case later was found to be a close friend of ATS officials.

Baig also cited the 2006 Malegaon blast case wherein all the accused charged by the ATS were released not because of lack of evidence but because they were “all found innocent.”