NEW DELHI/T’PURAM: The Supreme Court on Monday allowed People’s Democratic Party chairman and prime accused in the 2008 Bengaluru serial bomb blasts case Abdul Nasar Madani to visit and stay in Kerala till July 8 to meet his ailing parents.
As per the order issued by bench of Justice Ajay Rastogi and Justice Bela Trivedi on Madani’s plea, the PDP chief will be accompanied by Karnataka police officials during the duration of his stay in Kerala and shall return with them.
Madani’s return after five years — he last came here in 2018 — has major political significance in Kerala, especially at a time when BJP is trying to woo minority sections.
With the 2024 Lok Sabha elections just a year away, political fronts are guarded in their approach towards the PDP leader.
Order issued on plea to relax bail condition
The LDF and UDF have been maintaining that Madani should not be denied his rights. Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan told TNIE that UDF supports the SC’s decision. “Madani is a prisoner who has been denied trial. He has every right to get bail,” he said.
Though CPM too has not been maintaining close relations with Madani like before, the leadership has opined that he should get proper treatment. BJP is likely to use the opportunity to corner the two fronts. Madani had moved the SC seeking to relax the bail condition imposed by the top court which had directed him to stay in Karnataka until the trial was over.