Special Court Judge grants bail to 24 accused

Coimbatore, Aug 8 (UNI) The Special Court Judge K Uthirapathy today granted bail to 24 accused arrested in the serial bomb blast case, which rocked the city on February 14, 1998.

The Judge granted bail for 24 accused and posted the hearing of the bail application to August 17. All the accused, who were granted bail on their own bonds and were involved in the case with minor charges might get less than ten years imprisonment.

It may be recalled that the Judge had convicted 158 accused out of 167.

Out of 181 accused in the case, seven were killed during the bomb blast. Five accused, including one S K Maidheen arrested recently, are absconding. An accused Mohammed Dustagir died during the trial.

Riaz-Ur-Rahman, the owner of Indian Explosive Corporation, Mysore, had turned appprover.

A total of 58 persons were killed, atleast 250 injured and damages to public and private properties to the tune of about Rs 4.37 crore were caused in the 19 serial bomb explosions.

UNI