HC refuses bail for Coimbatore blasts accused

Chennai, Dec 20 (UNI) The Madras High Court today dismised a Bail petition of 16 persons convicted to undergo Rigorous Imprisonment in the February 14, 1998 Coimbatore serial bomb blasts case in which 58 people were killed and 167 others were injured.

Dismising the petition, a Division Bench comprising Mr Justice D Murugesan and Mr Justice V Periyakaruppiah said the Coimbatore blast incident was serious and several innocent people lost their life while hundreds were seriously injured.

Hence the convicts were not entitled for bail, they ruled.

During the campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections 1998, the bomb blasts had ocurrred just before the visit of senior BJP leader L K Advani to campaign in Coimbatore city.

The Special Investigation team arrested People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Abdul Nazzar Madani, Al-Umma President Basha and 159 others, and filed charge sheets in a special court at Coimbatore.

Following the trial, the Special Court aquitted Madani and convicted the 16 for 13 years RI .

They moved the Madras High court praying that their conviction be sentence be set aside and seeking bail.

UNI