India - Gujarat High Court HC extends bail for ten days for Babu Bajrangi, a top figure of the Hindu Far right

The Indian Express - 23 July 2015

Written by Satish Jha
Ahmedabad

Naroda Patiya massacre: HC extends Bajrangi’s bail for ten days for urinary infection treatment
The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday extended the bail of Babubhai Patel alias Babu Bajrangi, sentenced to life imprisonment in 2002 Naroda Patiya massacre, for ten days with a condition that he would not seek further extension.

The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday extended the bail of Babubhai Patel alias Babu Bajrangi, sentenced to life imprisonment in 2002 Naroda Patiya massacre, for ten days with a condition that he would not seek further extension.

Bagrangi is on temporary bail for three months which ends on July 24. This relief had been granted for his eye treatment. Eventually, Bajrangi has stated in his application seeking further extension of bail for a month that he has lost his eyes. He has in the application mentioned that he was recently diagnosed with urinary tract infection (UTI) and admitted to the civil hospital.

“He has already lost both of his eyes. The UTI has increased further agony of the applicant and therefore for treatment a month’s time should be granted,” said senior counsel Yogesh Lakhani who appeared for Bajrangi.

Prashant Desai, counsel of Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) which investigated the case, opposed the petition saying that the appeal against conviction by Bajrangi and other convicts have already listed before the bench, and therefore it should not be entertained. The appeal petitions are slated for hearing on July 28.

Apart from Bajrangi, 30 accused including former Gujarat minister Mayaben Kodnani were convicted by a special trial court in August 2012 for the massacre in which 97 people from minority community were killed during the 2002 riots.

The division bench of justices Mohinder Pal and RD Kothari while granting ten days extension said that treatment of UTI is based on antibiotic medicines and such a facility must be there in the jail. The bench also reminded that it had inclined to grant regular bail to Bajrangi on the ground of loss of eyesight.

“There is no mention of certain details in the medical certificates such as temperature caused by the UTI among other things. We are granting ten days relief only on the condition that the applicant shall not seek further extension of bail,” the bench noted.
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