Bail denied to terror outfit’s terrorist

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court has denied bail to suspected Indian Mujahideen (IM) member Fasih Mahmood, who was deported from Saudi Arabia in 2012, in connection with a case of setting up of an alleged illegal arms factory.

The court said that there was no valid reason to grant bail to Mahmood, an aide of IM co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, considering the gravity of offence and serious allegation against him.

Justice S.P. Garg noted that the accused has already been denied bail earlier by the high court and the Supreme Court in 2016.

Since bail has already been declined on merits and there is no substantial change in circumstances and reasons to grant bail to Mahmood.

Mahmood, a mechanical engineer by profession, is allegedly one of the key members of the IM's Darbhanga module which had carried out various terror strikes in India since 2008.

The ‘terrorist’ has been charged for offences punishable under Section 20 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), which relates to punishment for being a member of a terrorist organisation and entails a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.  

Seeking bail, Mahmood’s counsel said because the e-mail IDs of the accused’s cousin brother were found on his laptop, it cannot be taken as an incriminating circumstance against him.