Supreme Court Allows Abdul Nazir Maudany To Travel To Kerala, Relaxes Bail Conditions

The Supreme Court today allowed Abdul Nazir Maudany to travel to Kerala for a period of one month to visit his ailing father. The Court while modifying the bail conditions imposed by the Karnataka High Court observed that Maudany was allowed in past to travel to Kerala and hence he can be allowed to do so now, subject to bearing the expenses of travel and security provided.

The Bench of Justice Ajay Rastogi and Justice Bela M. Trivedi allowed the plea filed by the chairman of Kerala People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and a prime accused in the 2008 Bengaluru serial bomb blasts case. The Court noted that his day-to-day presence is not required for the trial and that he undertakes to be present as and when required. The Bench allowed Maudany to travel to Kerala to meet his father and adjourned the matter to July 10, 2023.

Appearing for the petitioner, Senior Advocate Kabil Sibal sought relaxation of bail condition and highlighted why this condition was imposed during granting of the bail. He submitted that High Court had granted him bail upon noting that he was in jail for 4 years and was suffering from medical issues. He added that the High Court imposed the condition of him not leaving the city of Bangalore as a statement made by the State that the trial will be over in 4 months. 

Sibal submitted that the High Court had allowed him to visit his mother for 5 days and that the State had no problem back then. He further submitted that Maudany is not required on daily basis for the trial. "Don’t give me the sky but don’t ground me. This is not fair. What is going to happen if he travels? Let me go and meet the father for a month. I am a head of a political party.. where will I run away?" submitted Sibal before the Court.

The Court then directed that the petitioner be allowed to visit Kerala for 1 month on the charges to be borne by the Petitioner. The Court listed the matter for further consideration on July 10, 2023.

Abdul Nazir Maudany had sought relaxation of his bail conditions allowing him to live in his hometown in Kerala. This is the second time he moved such an application on health and other grounds, and the earlier plea was rejected by the Supreme Court in September 2021.

The PDP leader, along with 31 others, was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 for his alleged involvement in a series of bomb blasts on July 25, 2008, in Bengaluru that left one person dead and 20 injured. He was also implicated in the 1998 Coimbatore serial blasts in which 58 people were killed, although he was later acquitted by a trial court.