A Pune court on Thursday sentenced Mirza Himayat Baig, the lone convict in the German Bakery blast case, to death on four major counts, including murder and conspiracy, in the February 13, 2010 terror act in which 17 people were killed and 60 mothers injured.
Having spent a near-entire day hearing the arguments over the quantum of punishment to be handed to the lone convict, additional sessions judge NP Dhote handed out capital punishment to Baig, after observing that the case fell in the “rarest of rare” category that warranted extreme punishment.
Baig was sentenced to death under Sections 302 (murder), 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy), of IPC, besides Section 16(a) of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Section 3 of Explosive Substances Act — all of which attract death penalty.
Baig is the only accused who has been arrested, tried and convicted. Investigators had filed charge sheet against seven. Six other absconding accused are: Mohammed Ahmed Zarar Siddibappa, alias Yasin Bhatkal, Mohsin Chaudhary, Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Bhatkal, Fayaz Kagzi and Zabiuddin Ansari. All have links to leT and Indian Mujahideen.