"Best Morning To Send A Message": Top Court Rejects Bail Of Accused In Terror Case

A day after a suicide attack near Delhi's Red Fort, the Supreme Court on Tuesday denied bail to a person accused of offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in an unrelated case. 

On Monday, a car exploded near the Red Fort during the evening rush hour, killing at least nine people and injuring many others.

During the hearing today, senior lawyer Siddhartha Dave, appearing for the accused, said, "It is not the best morning to argue this case after the events of yesterday."

However, a bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta observed, "This is the best morning to send a message."

When the court pointed out that inflammatory material was recovered from the accused, his lawyer said that only Islamic literature was recovered. 

Justice Mehta then said that the accused had formed a WhatsApp group on which a flag almost identical to that of ISIS was seen.

The accused's lawyer then explained that his client has been in jail for over two years, but the court pointed to the serious nature of the accusations against him.

The lawyer insisted that no RDX or explosive material was recovered from the accused and that his client was 70 per cent disabled.

However, the top court declined to grant bail.

The court ordered that the trial should be concluded within two years. If this does not happen, the accused can reapply for bail, provided the delay in the trial is not attributable to the accused.