HC grants furlough to 85 year old 93 blast convict

Mumbai, Oct 23 (UNI) Bombay High Court today granted Furlough of 14 days to a 85-year old convict in the 1993 serial bomb blasts after he had completed 14 years in jail.

A Division bench, consisting of Justices S B Mahse and Ranjit More, granted the Furlough in response to a petition filed by convict Dawood Phanse alais Dawood Takliya, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the TADA court, stating that it is his constitutional right to get a holiday of 14 days in a year as he was convicted last year by the designated court.

The petition was opposed by state on the grounds that the petitioner was convicted under the TADA act and his release will create a law and order problem and he may contact some of the absconding accused, while on Furlough.

The bench, while disagreeing to this, held that the state can not make discrimination between anyone, convicted under any act.

The bench, while allowing the application, directed him to attend the local police station every day.

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

His lawyer Farhana Shah made the application to consider the request on humantarian ground.

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