SC refuses bail to Maudany

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to grant bail to Kerala’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Abdul Nazir Maudany, facing charges in the 2008 Bangalore serial blasts, on health grounds but referred him to a city hospital there for treatment.

A bench of Justices H L Gokhale and Kurian Joseph asked doctors at Manipal Hospital to make an assessment of his health condition and send a report to the Karnataka government within a week.

 The court also directed the State government to take required steps, including medication, as per the hospital’s report.

“Let his condition improve. If hospital’s report requires him to be shifted from jail to the medical care, they (state government) will not be averse to it,” the bench said.

Appearing for Maudany, advocate Prashant Bhushan submitted that the petitioner’s health had deteriorated during his incarceration for over three and a half years.

He was admitted to Manipal hospital for treatment to his eyes but was discharged on December 9.  According to doctors, since the petitioner suffered from diabetes, he could not be operated on, counsel said.

Bhushan sought interim bail for the petitioner in order to help him get family care and home food.

Senior advocate Raju Ramachandra, appearing for the State government, opposed Bhushan’s plea, contending Maudany has been accused of conspiracy and instigation of the offence which was a much stronger charge.

The bench adjourned the matter to March 26 and asked the hospital to decide as per the requirement of his health condition. The petitioner has been in jail in the case since August 2010, after spending more than nine years behind bars in the case relating to Coimbatore blasts in which he was acquitted later.  A series of blasts in Bangalore in 2008 claimed lives of two persons and left 20 others injured.