By A. Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai : Bombay High Court today granted bail to another alleged Indian Mujahideen suspect Majid Akhtar Shaikh (32 years) in a six year old case of threatening email (five minutes before Gujarat 2008 blasts) investigated by Mumbai crime branch. High Court relied on its last month order of grant of bail to Yasir Sayed, an accused in the same case, and termed Shaikh’s case to be identical deserving same order.
After grant of bail, prosecution asked High Court for stay of 4 weeks on the operation of order so as to appeal order of grant of bail before Apex court. High Court was not satisfied with prosecution’s urging and turned down its plea saying why did they not apply for stay on Syed’s order whom the same Judge had granted bail last month which is the basis of grant of bail to Shaikh.
Majid Akhtar Shaikh (32 years) is a resident of Pune who was reportedly working in a call center at the time of his arrest in September 2008 after completing his BA graduation. With his bail Shaikh has become the fourth IM suspect released on bail by Bombay High court in the case after Pune Infosys Engineer Muhammad Atik Iqbal, Dastaghiri Feroze Mujawar and Yasir Syed.
Earlier on 23rd July High Court granted conditional bail to Yasir Syed (24 years) with the conditions of Rs.50000 surety or two Rs.25000 sureties and asked him to report to the trial court once every week. Justice A. M. Thipsey had meticulously studied case against Yasir Syed before granting him bail and therefore this time had to only see the difference between the case against Shaikh and Syed prior to deliver Shaikh bail.
Defense lawyer Mubin Solkar argued before the court that Shaikh’s case was indistinguishable from that of Syed whom court has already granted bail and hence Shaikh may also be granted bail on the ground of parity.
Once the High court was content with the defense that case against Shaikh is almost same and that trial has not begun since 6 years, Justice A.M.Thipsey granted bail to Shaikh.
Speaking to TCN, Adv. Tahera Qureshi, assistant lawyer of Mubin Solkar said, “We had to only prove (that) Majid’s case is indifferent from Yasir’s case (which) we did successfully.”
“Immediately after the order, I informed his family who broke down in tears in happiness and thanked our legal team for the favorable order,” she said expressing her delight.
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