No bail for Coimbatore blast accused

The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected Coimbatore serial blast accused Abdul Nazar Madani's bial plea after learning from reports of medical experts that he was refusing to get himself treated.

In custody for the last seven years for his alleged role in the 1998 Coimbatore serial blasts that killed 59 people, Peoples Democratic Party leader Abdul Nazar Madani had moved the Supreme Court for bail on the ground that he needed urgent ayurvedic treatment in Kerala.

While dismissing his bail plea, a bench comprising Justice H K Sema and B N Srikrishna also dismissed a habeas corpus petition filed by Madani's wife Soofia challenging his prolonged detention.

Madani, through counsel senior advocate Sushil Kumar, stated that he was suffering from systematic hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetics, cervical spondylitis, lumber disc prolopse and that he be allowed to go to a particular ayurvedic Centre in Kerala to get treatment.

The court, taking into account the report of medical experts filed by the Tamil Nadu, said that the accused had been repeatedly refusing to get examined for his ailments by expert ayurveda doctors and declining to take medicines.

Appearing for Tamil Nadu, senior advocate K T S Tulsi said this was a tactic to delay trial and pointed out the consistent non-cooperation of the accused with doctors. The blasts on February 14, 1998 had occurred shortly before senior BJP leader L K Advani was to address an election campaign meeting in Coimbatore.