Bombay High Court Grants Parole To 1993 Mumbai Serial Blasts Convict Six Months After Brother's Death

A division bench of justices SS Shinde and Manish Pitale granted seven days parole to Memon, without police escorts. Memon, who has spent 26 years in prison, approached HC after he was asked to pay Rs 70,000 per day as police escort charges for three days parole by the Superintendent of Nashik Prison, last year.

Memon had sought parole after his brother and co-convict, Yusuf Memon passed away on June 26, 2020.

APP SD Shinde, appearing for the State submitted that the application for grant of emergency death parole was moved immediately after Memon's brother's death and now, there did not seem to be any urgency for his immediate release.

She also submitted that he was charged for the escorts as per the rules.

Memon, through his lawyers MM Chaudhari argued that due to the covid-19 pandemic the rituals could not be organized. And now, that lockdown conditions had been relaxed, the "Fateha Khwani," ritual would be performed on January 29, 2021.

Memon's submissions found favour with the Court that observed a policy decision was also taken to grant emergency parole to convicts.

"The explanation given in the said affidavit as to why the rituals could not be performed immediately after the death of the brother of the petitioner appears to be plausible, in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic." The court observed.

The court further observed that Memon has spent 26 years in prison, was granted parole and furlough in the past, and had returned to prison on time on all the occasions.

He has been directed to report to Kurla Police station on the third and sixth day of release.

The 1993 Bombay bombings were a series of 12 bomb explosions that took place on 12 March, 1993. The Supreme Court of India gave its judgment on 21 March, 2013 after over 20 years of judicial proceedings. However, the two main suspects in the case, Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon, still remain at large.

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