Muslim Organizations Demand Release of Prisoners Convicted in Coimbatore Blasts Case
In light of the Karunanidhi centenary, Muslim organizations are calling for the release of 37 Muslim prisoners who have been serving lengthy sentences in connection with the 1998 Coimbatore serial blasts. Jawahirullah, a prominent Muslim leader, has warned that if the prisoners are not released within a month, they will besiege the Chief Secretariat and stage a protest.
Among the 37 prisoners, 17 were convicted in the Coimbatore serial blasts case, which resulted in the death of 58 people and injured 250 more. The blasts also caused extensive damage to property worth crores of rupees. The Special Investigation Team of the State Crime Branch, led by Paramvir Singh, thoroughly investigated the incident and filed a charge sheet against 180 individuals on May 5, 1999.
Out of the 166 people who faced trial, 43 were sentenced to life imprisonment, 15 received 13 years in prison, and 90 were given three to seven years in prison. Additionally, eight people, including Kerala’s People’s Democratic Party leader Madani, were released, and one person confessed to the crime and became an approver.
While an appeal was filed in the Madras High Court against the judgment of the Special Court, a division bench of the High Court upheld life imprisonment for 18 people in 2009. 21 individuals were released. Some convicts were granted early release pending appeal, which drew condemnation from the judges, questioning how the accused could be released early when the case was still under trial.
An appeal against the High Court’s decision was filed in the Supreme Court in 2012, and the case is currently under investigation. Muslim organizations are now urging for the early release of the 17 individuals involved in the case. However, legal experts argue that since the case is pending, there is no provision in the law to pre-release those convicted in the lower court.
Moreover, the release of some previous acquitted individuals in the same case has created a legal predicament. If the Supreme Court finds them guilty and imposes punishment, it raises questions about their status.
In a related matter, the Supreme Court recently heard a case concerning the 1996 bomb incident in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar, sentencing four criminals involved in the attack to life imprisonment until death.
Muslim movements are appealing for the early release of the Coimbatore blasts convicts before the Supreme Court verdict is announced. They are exerting political pressure to ensure their freedom. However, the police maintain that the government should not yield to coercion on this matter.
As the controversy continues, the fate of the 37 Muslim prisoners and the resolution of the Coimbatore serial blasts case remains uncertain.