Bombay High Court Grants Bail to Munib Memon, Accused in 2012 Pune Blasts

Mumbai/Pune, 21st September 2024: The Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to Munib Memon, one of the accused in the 2012 serial blasts on Pune’s Jangli Maharaj Road. The court set the bail bond at Rs 1 lakh, requiring one or two sureties of the same value. Memon, represented by advocate Mubin Solkar, requested bail due to his extended imprisonment of over 12 years and the violation of his right to a speedy trial as protected by Article 21 of the Constitution. He has been in custody since 2012.

Solkar argued that the trial had been progressing slowly, and under the legal principle that ‘bail is the rule and jail is the exception,’ his client deserved release, even under stringent laws such as the UAPA. He emphasized that the prolonged detention amounted to punishment without trial.

The public prosecutor, however, opposed the bail, pointing out that the high court had previously rejected Memon’s application and maintained that the seriousness of the charges made his continued custody necessary. In 2022, the court had denied his bail, noting that there was no substantial reason to believe he was innocent and that the allegations against him appeared credible.

The 2012 blasts on Jangli Maharaj Road occurred within minutes of each other, injuring one person. Authorities also defused an unexploded bomb. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested eight individuals, including Memon, in connection with the attack.