Mumbai, Oct 19: A special court has rejected the plea of a 1993 bomb blast accused to go abroad on pilgrimage on the grounds that the trial was in the concluding stage and a large number of accused are still absconding.

Designated Judge P D Kode, on October 16, turned down the plea of Ashraf-ur-Rehman Shaikh to go abroad on 'Umra' pilgrimage. The judge also noted that prima facie charges against the accused were serious as a large quantity of ammunition sent by absconding Tiger Memon from Pakistan for use in the blasts had been recovered from his premises.

Defence lawyer Subhash Kanse contended that the accused may be allowed to leave India for 'Umra' as he had to fulfil his religious obligations. He argued that co-accused and film star Sanjay Dutt had been permitted to leave for foreign countries several times in the past. Even another co-accused Baba Chavan was earlier allowed to go to Mecca for pilgrimage, he pleaded.

CBI lawyer A S Kulaye opposed the plea of the accused to go abroad on the ground that the trial was about to come to an end and at this stage the court should not allow him to leave India as he may not return. He said Sanjay and others were allowed to go abroad to enable them earn their livelihood. CBI further argued that several absconding accused were holed up in foreign countries and the possibility of the accused establishing contacts with them was not ruled out.

Police had recovered 85 hand grenades, 350 electronic detonators, 3217 live cartridges stored in a toilet of his business premises, CBI added.

Bureau Report