Hearing of blast convict plea to grant furlough deferred

Mumbai, Aug 11 (UNI) Bombay High Court today deferred till August 13 the hearing of a petition of a convict in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case, seeking furlough of 14 days after he had completed one year in jail.

A division bench, comprising Justices Bilal Nazki and Ashutosh Kumbhkoni, deferred the hearing after public prosecutor S Pai told the court that the Aurangabad bench was having difference of opinion over the release of a blast convict, based upon the apex court ruling, which opined that the High Court does not have jurisdiction to hear such pleas.

The bench, after hearing the statement by the prosecution, asked them to furnish the copy of the same and adjourned the hearing.

The plea, moved by Ashraf Ur Rehman, who is sentenced to life imprisonment by the TADA court, stated that it is his constitutional right to get a holiday of 14 days in a year.

Rehman has made the application under the Prisoner's Act, which allows a convict to get 14 days holiday from the jail after seeking the court's permission.

His lawyer Ayesha Ansari made the application to consider the request, both on humanitarian grounds as well as on merit.

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