Karnataka HC grants parole to convict in church blast case
Bengaluru (PTI): A convict serving life imprisonment in the church blast case has been granted parole by the High Court of Karnataka for two weeks.
The detenue, Mohammed Akhil, is one of the convicts in the July 2000 church blast case in Bengaluru. Twenty four accused belonging to the Deendar Anjuman sect were found guilty of the blasts that were triggered in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Goa. Akhil was one of the 13 handed a life sentence.
Mubeen Unnissa Begum, wife of Akhil, had filed the petition, which was heard by Justice M Nagaprasanna.
"The convict, as of today, has undergone 23 years of imprisonment without remission and has not been granted parole throughout 23 years. The wife of the convict is now before this court seeking enlargement of her husband on parole on the score that she is suffering from ailments and, therefore, pleads that the presence of her husband is very much required in the family as other family members are also aged and suffering from ailments," the court noted in its recent judgement.
The counsel for the petitioner argued that in July 2023 another convict in the case was granted parole by a co-ordinate bench because the convict's mother was suffering from ailments.
The co-ordinate bench had based its judgement on a 1974 case where it was held that "the court should treat the like-cases alike and if relief is granted to a litigant it needs to be extended to similarly circumstanced litigants as well, there being no derogatory circumstances."
The high court therefore allowed Akhil to be released on parole for two weeks between December 7 and evening of December 20, 2023.
It also directed the Chief Superintendent of Central Prison and the Director General of Police, Prisons and Correctional Services, to "stipulate strict conditions as are usually stipulated, to ensure return of the detenu to the gaol and that he shall not commit any other offence during the period of parole."
Mubeen Unnissa Begum had sought 90 days parole for her husband. The court said the wife of the petitioner can seek extension of the parole "which shall be considered looking at the conduct of the husband of the petitioner - the convict while he is out on parole."
Akhil was convicted for offences under Sections 120B, 121, 121A, 124A, 153A, 426, 437 of the Indian Penal Code for sedition and Sections 3 and 5 of the Explosives Substances Act and Rule 5 and 9B of the Explosive Rules.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
