HC asks authority to reconsider parole plea of blasts convict

The Bombay High Court today asked the Pune Divisional Commissioner to reconsider within a fortnight the plea made by 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Mujeeb Sharif Parkar for release on parole on account of wife's illness.
The direction was given by the bench headed by Justice A S Oka who asked the Divisional Commissioner to take a decision within 15 days.
The Court also noted that in the earlier order refusing the parole, Parkar's reason for seeking the leave -- wife's illness -- had not been doubted.
After Pune Divisional Commissioner rejected Parkar's plea, he appealed to under secretary of state home department who too turned down his plea.

Parkar is lodged in Kolhapur prison.
His lawyer, advocate Farhana Shah, argued today that Parkar, sentenced to five years' term by TADA court, had already served about half of it. His wife was suffering from appendicitis and had been advised surgery, she said.
Advocate Shah also pointed out that Parkar was earlier released on parole once, and he did not abuse the liberty. Nor did he breach any of the conditions imposed by the trial court when he was on bail for 16 years, she pointed out.