Macca Masjid blast case: Swami Aseemanand gets bail

Hyderabad: The NIA Special Court on Thursday granted bail to Macca Masjid blast accused Naba Kumar Sarkar who goes by the name of Swami Aseemanand, and another accused, Bharat Mohanlal or Bharath Bhai.

The bail was granted on condition that they produce two sureties each and pay Rs 50,000 each. They were directed not to leave Hyderabad.

A senior advocate told this newspaper that after Thursday’s bail order, Aseemanand is likely to be released from jail as he has been acquitted in the Ajmer blast case a few days ago and has been granted bail in the Samjhauta blast case. After Aseemanand and Bharat were acquitted by the Ajmer court, they were brought to Hyderabad by the NIA as the trial in the Macca Masjid case was in progress here. Three days ago, the two moved a bail petition before the NIA court in Hyderabad.

Victims criticise bail for suspects
The bail was criticised by the victims who were affected by the blast in different ways. Dr Ibrahim Junaid Ali who was arrested after the blast said that though he was innocent he had ended up in prison while those who were involved in the blast, killing people, are walking out free.

“This is a failure on the part of the government and police who could not oppose their bail. Though we were acquitted, so many of us have suffered and are suffering even now due to the effect of the false cases and the treatment we got from the police. But the real culprits are walking free which is doubling the pain of the families who lost their loved ones in the blast,” he said, echoing the sentiments of many who are wrongfully charged and spend years in prison due to poor investigations.

In the course of the trial the court has examined more than 250 of the 370 witnesses. On May 18, 2007, around 1.25 pm a bomb went off inside the Macca Masjid during Friday prayers killing nine people and injuring 58. In the police firing on angry protestors, five more people were killed.