HC junks Indian Mujahideen operative’s third bail plea

New Delhi: Delhi High Court has rejected the bail plea of a suspected Indian Mujahideen operative facing trial in the Sep 2008 serial blasts that rocked the capital, claiming 26 lives.A bench of justices Prathiba M Singh and Madhu Jain dismissed the appeal of Mansoor Asghar Peerbhoy, noting that allegations against him disclosed a prima facie central role in the technological execution of the terror conspiracy.It also factored in the gravity of the terror allegations, the material collected against him, and the advanced stage of the trial to conclude these outweighed the long period of his incarceration as an undertrial.He had challenged a trial court’s July 19, 2025 order denying him relief bail the third time in the FIR related to the bomb blasts at Karol Bagh. Acknowledging that Peerbhoy has spent a “considerable period” as an undertrial, HC said that releasing him when cross-examination of two witnesses is yet to be completed could hamper the trial.Peerbhoy, who has remained in custody for about 17 years, had sought bail on the ground of prolonged incarceration, parity with a co-accused who had been granted bail, and the delay in conclusion of the trial.The bench also said that while it has to consider the right to life of the accused, allegations against him were not confined to an isolated criminal act but formed part of a larger terror conspiracy with serious implications for the security, integrity and sovereignty of the nation.

HC said evidence on record showed he allegedly purchased the laptop used to transmit the terror email, while forensic examination also revealed the presence of file-erasing software and PDF documents matching those circulated with the email claiming responsibility for the attacks.“The appellant’s technical expertise combined with the leadership position attributed to him within the ‘Indian Mujahideen’, prima facie suggests that he is extremely well connected with the said organisation and its network, and the propensity of him getting involved in similar activities upon release, is extremely high,” it observed.