MUMBAI, Nov. 11 -- A special court constituted under Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) in Mumbai rejected the bail plea of Munaf Abdul Majid Halari, an accused in the 1993 serial bomb blasts in Bombay that killed more than 250 people and injuring 713 while destroying property worth Rs.27 crore. The court observed that the seriousness of the offence, his alleged role in the conspiracy, and his abscondence for nearly three decades barred any relief. The order was passed last Thursday by Special Judge VD Kedar, who is conducting the third phase of the trial. Halari is accused of procuring and concealing three scooters used to transport and place RDX-laden bombs across Bombay (now Mumbai) on March 12, 1993. One of the scooters linked to Halari exploded at Zaveri Bazaar, killing 17 people and injuring 57, while two others were recovered and defused at Shaikh Memon Street and Naigaum Cross Road. The prosecution, represented by Special Public Prosecutor Deepak Salvi, argued that Halari had been absconding for 27 years before his arrest in January 2020 by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad in a separate case involving 35 kg of heroin. He was allegedly travelling on a forged Pakistani passport issued under the name "Anwar Muhammad". Salvi submitted that the long period of concealment and the passport forgery demonstrated a high likelihood of flight if released. Defence counsel Ayush Pasbola, assisted by Rohin Chauhan, contended that Halari had been falsely implicated and that witness testimonies did not incriminate him. They argued that he has already spent over five years in custody while the prosecution has examined only 13 of more than 40 listed witnesses, claiming violation of his right to a speedy trial. However, Judge Kedar held that the restrictions on bail under Section 20(8) of the TADA Act require the court to be satisfied that the accused is not guilty and would not commit an offence while on bail, conditions not met in this case. The court noted that the evidence regarding Halari's alleged role, including material upheld up to the Supreme Court in earlier proceedings, prima facie linked him to the conspiracy and the scooters used in the blasts. The court also recorded that there had been no change in circumstances since his earlier bail rejection. "Looking at the gravity and seriousness of the crime, the role attributed to the applicant, and the fact that he was absconding for the last 27-28 years, no case is made out for releasing him on bail," the order stated, adding that bail granted in other unrelated matters "cannot dilute the gravity" of the present case....