German bakery blast: Bombay HC commutes convict Himayat Baig's death sentence to life

Mumbai: In a setback to the security agencies, the Bombay High Court on Thursday set aside the death sentence awarded to lone 2010 Pune German bakery bomb blast case convict Himayat Baig.

The High Court commuted the sentence of Himayat Baig to life term.

The court commuted Baig's sentence to life for possession of explosives, while acquitting him on the rest nine charges.

The High Court was delivering its verdict on confirmation petition on death penalty awarded to Baig.

The confirmation petition was filed by the Maharashtra government and Baig had filed the appeal challenging his conviction and the death sentence.

Baig, as per police, was a member of terror outfit Indian Mujahideen and he was arrested in September 2010 for involvement in the blast at German Bakery, a popular eatery in Pune's Koregaon Park area.

17 persons were killed and 58 injured, including some foreign nationals, in the blast.

In 2013, the sessions court in Pune had convicted Baig and awarded him the capital punishment.

(With agency inputs)