NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to eight convicts in the infamous 1987 Hashimpura massacre case of 38 persons by the personnel of the Provincial Armed Constabulary.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih took note of the submissions of senior advocate Amit Anand Tiwari, appearing for four convicts, that they are suffering prolonged incarceration after the Delhi High Court reversed their acquittal by the trial court in the case.
The Hashimpura massacre occurred on May 22, 1987 when Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel, belonging to the 41st Battalion's 'C-Company,' allegedly rounded up approximately 50 Muslim men from Hashimpura, a locality in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, during communal tensions.
The victims were taken to the outskirts of the city, where they were shot, and their bodies were dumped in a canal. The incident resulted in the death of 38 persons with only five survivors left to recount the horror.
On Friday, senior advocate Tiwari, representing four of the appellants -- Sami Ullah, Niranjan Lal, Mahesh Prasad, and Jaipal Singh -- argued that the appellants have been in jail for over six years since the High Court's judgment.
He highlighted that the appellants were previously acquitted by the trial court and that their conduct during the trial and appeal process had been exemplary.
Furthermore, it was contended that the reversal of the trial court's well-reasoned acquittal by the High Court was based on erroneous grounds.
The court took note of the submissions and allowed eight pending bail pleas of as many convicts.