Mumbai: The Special Court in Pune has denied bail to Asad Khan, a key accused in the 2012 JM Road serial blast case. Khan, 46, from Aurangabad, was arrested on December 20, 2012, and has been in prison for over 13 years. He sought bail, citing prolonged incarceration and delay in trial, arguing that there’s no likelihood of the trial concluding soon.
The defense lawyer contended that Khan’s pre-trial detention of over nine years and 4 months, with only 23 out of 300 witnesses examined, violates his right to life, personal liberty, and speedy trial. The prosecution opposed the plea, alleging Khan's involvement in planting bombs and preparing IEDs.
The court noted that the prosecution had collected prima facie evidence of Khan's active participation. It observed, “The perusal of the record reveals that expeditious trial by recording the evidence of witnesses is intervened by several applications preferred by the accused persons... The delay in the trial cannot be attributed only to the prosecution."
