The Delhi High Court has rejected the bail plea of Mansoor Asghar Peerbhoy, the alleged head of the Indian Mujahideen media cell, in connection with the 2008 Delhi serial blasts. The court cited the seriousness of the terror charges, the evidence against him, and the advanced stage of the trial as reasons for the decision.
In its ruling, the court emphasized that the accusations against Peerbhoy were not limited to a single criminal act but were part of a broader terrorist conspiracy that posed significant threats to the nation’s security and sovereignty. The court stated that due to these reasons, bail was not deemed appropriate in this case.
Peerbhoy, who has been in custody for around 17 years, had sought bail based on the prolonged incarceration, comparison to a co-accused’s bail, and trial delays. However, the court found that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act to justify denying bail to Peerbhoy.
The court noted that Peerbhoy, a computer engineer at Yahoo India during the relevant period, allegedly led the media cell of the banned Indian Mujahideen group. It was alleged that he, along with a co-accused, sent an email claiming responsibility for the blasts by hacking into a company’s Wi-Fi network just before the explosions.
