Gujarat Indian Mujahideen case: Supreme Court accepts appeal of convict sentenced to life imprisonment for hearing

In the Gujarat Indian Mujahideen case, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court heard the appeal of a convict who received a life sentence from the Gujarat High Court today. During the proceedings, the court accepted the convict's appeal for hearing and issued a notice to the Gujarat government.

According to the release issued, the bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath, comprising Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Upresh Kumar, heard the appeal of Muhammad Sadique Asrar Sheikh, a resident of Mumbai. Senior Advocate Gaurav Agarwal represented the convict. Acting on behalf of the Legal Aid Committee of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra (Arshad Madani), Senior Advocate Gaurav Agarwal informed the court that the Sessions Court and the Gujarat High Court had sentenced the convict to life imprisonment based on the statement of another convict, while the court had acquitted the convict who had testified against petitioner Sadique Asrar Sheikh. Senior Advocate Gaurav Agarwal further informed the court that the statement taken from the convict in police custody has no legal standing, yet the High Court has upheld the life sentence.

Senior Advocate Gaurav Agarwal further informed the court that the convict has been behind bars since November 5, 2008, and the Panch Nama prepared based on the convict's statement does not mention where the Panch Nama was conducted. The senior advocate further told the court that the convict was sentenced to life imprisonment on the basis of extremely weak evidence and circumstances, which requires review. After hearing the arguments of Senior Advocate Gaurav Agarwal, the court issued a notice and ordered that the appeal be linked with the appeals of the convicts sentenced to death. During today's hearing, Advocate on Record Chand Qureshi, Advocate Arif Ali, Advocate Mujahid Ahmed, and others were present in the court. In previous hearings, the same bench had granted a stay on the death sentences of two convicts, Muhammad Tanveer and Ahmed Bawa, while hearing their appeals. This is the first appeal filed by the convict sentenced to life imprisonment, which the court has accepted for hearing and issued a notice to the prosecution.

It is worth noting that the Gujarat High Court had upheld the death sentences of 38 convicts and life sentences for 11 convicts. The lower court had sentenced the convicts after proving the charges of serial bomb blasts in Ahmedabad and Surat. After the Gujarat High Court's verdict, the families of the convicts had met Maulana Halimullah Qasmi, the president of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra, and sought legal aid. Out of 49, 35 convicts had sought legal aid from Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra. The process of filing appeals of the convicts one after another in the Supreme Court of India is ongoing.