High Court refuses bail to Malleswaram blast accused

The High Court of Karnataka has rejected the bail application of Zulfikar Ali, an accused in the Malleswaram bomb blast case.

Ali is accused of transporting gel ammonium nitrate-based explosive and electric detonators from Coimbatore to the Sathyamangala panchayat office that was later said to have been used in the bomb blast on April 17, 2013. In his bail application, he argued that he has been falsely implicated in the case.

The prosecution countered him, saying he is a repeat offender as he was involved in the Coimbatore bomb blast. It contended that “conspiracy meetings” were held at his house and that of another accused and that police recovered materials used in the blast on the basis of his statement.

Justice L Narayana Swamy dismissed Ali’s petition, saying he was charged with being associated with a terrorist group, banned by the Central government and the United Nations Organisation, whose aim was to disrupt public harmony and destruct social peace where innocent people die.

“The nature of offence is sufficient to show that the petitioner is involved in the offence which is very serious and causes disharmony among the public. If the case of offences alleged against the petitioner is proved, the punishment would be death or life imprisonment, hence it is not a case for grant of bail (sic),” the judge said.