The Madras High Court has granted interim bail to S.A. Basha due to his medical condition and advanced age. Basha, the founder of the banned terrorist outfit Al-Umma, had been convicted in the 1998 Coimbatore serial blasts case.

The court has instructed the state authorities to provide a report on the behavior of the inmate in prison within a three-month period.

"The prison inmate is currently receiving medical treatment, so the requirement for the detenu to report to the local police station is temporarily waived. However, the state authorities must provide a report on the inmate's conduct within the next three months. If the prison inmate intends to leave the state of Tamil Nadu, they must notify the local Police Station in writing at least three days in advance and keep them informed about their whereabouts," as observed by the Bench, which included Justice S.S. Sundar and Justice Sunder Mohan.

A Writ Miscellaneous Petition was submitted by the daughter of the detenu S.A. Basha, who was sentenced in the 1998 Coimbatore serial blasts case, seeking the early release of her father. However, it was noted that another application with a similar request was awaiting a decision from the Governor. In light of the fact that the petitioners had already spent over 23 years in prison, the Court granted interim bail to the detenu for a duration of three months.

The Court observed that orders had been sought from the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu based on the report of the Hon'ble Mr. Justice N. Authinathan Committee. These orders were currently awaiting approval from the Hon'ble Governor. The Court took into account the state government's actions and mentioned that in several other cases, previous benches of the court had granted interim bail to petitioners. This was done in recognition of the fact that the matter of premature release was pending before the Hon'ble Governor, and also considering that the petitioners had already spent over 23 years in prison. Additionally, it was noted that the detenu was bedridden and receiving treatment at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.

In accordance with the circumstances presented, the Court granted approval to the petition.

Case: B. Mubeena v The State, WMP.No.30083/2023 in WP.No.30464/2023.