High Court allows transfer of German Bakery blast convict Himayat Baig to Pune jail

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court today allowed the plea of German Bakery blast convict Himayat Baig that he be shifted from Central Prison at Arthur Road here to Yerwada prison in Pune.

The division bench headed by Justice V M Kanade ordered that Baig may be shifted to Pune jail until his appeal against conviction comes up for hearing before the High Court.

The appeal, as well as state's plea for confirmation of death sentence, is expected to come up for hearing on January 5 when the HC would fix a date for final hearing.

Baig is the lone convict in the German Bakery blast case. On February 13, 2010 a bomb exploded inside the German Bakery in Koregaon Park area, killing 17 persons including five foreigners and injuring 58 others.

In April 2013 the Pune sessions court awarded death penalty to Baig observing that it was a rarest of rare case.

According to the chargesheet filed by the ATS, five other accused in the case are still absconding.