Bombay HC rules against Baig’s death penalty
Bombay HC rejected the death sentence imposed on Baig, the lone convict in the 2010 Pune blast case. Baig was acquitted of charges under the IPC Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for murder, attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy. Bombay HC confirmed life sentence for possession of explosives on Baig, who was transferred to Arthur Road jail after he complained of assault at Yerwada jail.
A major terror attack had taken place in Pune's famous German Bakery around 7:30 pm, on the North Main Avenue in Koregaon Park. Seventeen persons including four foreigners were killed, over 54 injured, and four shops near the bakery were damaged. Initially, the police had supposed that it was a cylinder blast but, later it was suspected that it could be a bomb explosion.
Authorities had suspected that around 7 kg of explosives were used in the attack. The bomb blast had been carried with Improvised Explosive Device (IED), along with ammonium-nitrate fuel oil mix, and RDX as a booster.
Seven months after the German Bakery bomb blast, the Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad had claimed to have cracked the case. ATS had arrested 29-year-old Mirza Himayat Baig Inayat Baig, Maharashtra LeT head and the mastermind behind the attack which was carried out by LeT with help from Indian Mujahedeen (IM). Bilal Shaikh, an associate of Baig was also arrested and charged with plotting terror attacks.
Maharashtra ATS had filed a charge sheet against Mirza Himayat Inayat Baig, who was in judicial custody then. Chargesheet was also charged against Mohsin Choudhary, Yasin Bhatkal, Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Bhatkal, Faiyaz Kagzi and Zabiuddin Ansari, who were absconding. Baig was to be produced in Sessions Court on 6 December 2010. Over 50 witnesses's statements and CCTV footage had proved Baig's involvement.
Mirza Baig, the only tried convict in the German Bakery bomb blast case, was sentenced to death by a Sessions Court in Pune. Baig was found guilty of plotting and executing the Pune bomb blast. The Sessions Court Judge, NP Dhote had stated that Baig was sentenced to death, and life imprisonment on five other charges and termed the case 'rarest of the rare'.
An Al Qaeda chief termed the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack 'heroic', and 2010 Pune German Bakery bomb explosion 'beautiful' in one of the unclassified documents recovered by the US Navy SEALs at Abbottabad after Osama was shot dead in 2011.
In 2013, Baig had indicated inconsistencies in the bomb blast investigations carried out by Maharashtra, Delhi and Bengaluru police to the Bombay HC. His lawyer argued had against his death penalty and demanded a fresh probe, new trial and examination of more witnesses. In 2015, Baig had alleged that he was gravely assaulted by his jail inmates at the high-security Yerwada Jail in Pune.
