In a significant judicial development, the Bombay High Court has granted bail to Munib Memon, an individual implicated in the 2012 low-intensity blasts on Pune’s J M Road. The court’s decision on Friday came in light of extended pre-trial detention and procedural delays that have characterized this case.
Memon, who has been in custody awaiting trial, had his bail application rejected last February by the same court, which at the time directed the lower court to expedite proceedings and conclude the trial by December 2023. However, with the trial still incomplete as the deadline passed, Memon sought relief from the High Court once again.
The division bench, led by Justice Revati Mohite Dere, acceded to Memon’s request, emphasizing the undue length of his pre-trial detention as a primary factor for the decision. This ruling marks a turn in the judicial handling of the case, which involves nine arrests linked to a series of bombings that occurred on August 1, 2012.
The 2012 incident involved four synchronized explosions that resulted in injuries to one person and widespread panic. Additional devices planted at two other locations were successfully defused by the authorities. Police investigations have attributed the attacks to the terror group Indian Mujahideen.
