1998 Blast accused filed application for bail

Mumbai, Sept 13: A handicapped accused in the 1998 Mumbai blast today alleged a bail plea before a local court on the ground that he had been in jail for the past eight years without any progress in trial.

The application by one Ashfaque Saheed Ahmed which will come up for hearing before the additional sessions judge J S Kalyanpur tomorrow.

In his plea, Ashfaque said that for the past eight years and four months, he is lodged at Arthur Road Jail and the trial has not commenced. He alleged that he is a blast victim who lost his two legs in the bomb explosion occurred on February 27, 1998 at Bhura Chawl in Santacruz East.

The applicant was arrested along with 13 others and turned an approver in the case but he later turned hostile and seperate charges were framed against him during 2002.

Since the applicant was declared approver, the court had framed charges against all other 13 people arrested and their trial concluded with 11 people convicted during 2002.

Later, a new supplementary chargesheet had been filed against Ashfaque under section 302, 307, 326, 435 and 120B of IPC read with section 151 of railways act and explosive substances act of which the trial is still pending.

UNI