HC grants furlough to 1993 bomb blasts convict

Mumbai, Aug 21 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today granted a furlough of 14 days to Ashraf-Ur-Rehman, a convict involved in the 1993 serial bomb blasts, after he completes one year in jail.

A division bench of Justice Bilal Nazki and Justice Ashutosh Kumbhkoni granted the furlough, saying it was his constitutional right to get a holiday of 14 days in a year. Rehman, sentenced to life imprisonment by the designated TADA court for possessing arms and ammunition, had filed a petition in this regard.

Opposing the petition, the state argued that his release would create a law and order problem as he was convicted under the TADA.

The bench, however, disagreed with the state and observed that the state could not discriminate between a prisoner convicted under TADA and any other act, as a convict is convict under any act.

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

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