A special court in Mumbai has recently rejected a guilty plea from an accused in the 2012 Pune Jangli Maharaj (JM) Road bomb blasts case. The accused had sought leniency, citing the prolonged delay in the trial. However, the court determined that accepting such a plea would constitute plea bargaining, which is prohibited under Indian law in serious criminal cases like this one. The court emphasized the gravity of the offense and the need for a thorough trial process .​

The JM Road blasts occurred on August 1, 2012, when four low-intensity bombs were detonated, injuring one person. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested eight individuals, including Munib Memon, who has been in custody since 2012. In September 2024, the Bombay High Court granted him bail after he had spent over 12 years in pre-trial detention, citing violations of his constitutional right to a speedy trial .​

The trial has faced significant delays, with the special court burdened by a backlog of cases. Despite these challenges, the court has been instructed to expedite proceedings, aiming to conclude the trial by December 2023 .

In a related development, two other accused, Firoz alias Hamja Sayed and Imran Pathan, had previously pleaded guilty, requesting minimum sentences due to the trial’s delay. Their pleas were also rejected, as the court viewed such requests as attempts at plea bargaining, which is not permissible in serious offenses .​

These proceedings highlight ongoing concerns about the prolonged judicial processes in high-profile terrorism cases and the challenges in balancing the rights of the accused with the need for justice.​

Sources