German bakery blast: NIA asks for CCTV footage, HC wants to know why

The Bombay high court has asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to explain why they want a copy of the CCTV footage of the 2010 German Bakery blast in Pune.

Seventeen persons, including five foreigners, were killed when a bomb exploded inside the popular eatery in Pune’s upmarket Koregaon Park area on February 13, 2010.

A division bench of justice VK Tahilramani and justice Mridula Bhatkar have asked the NIA to file an affidavit by August 5 explaining why they want the CCTV footage.

The NIA had filed an application seeking that the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which has probed the blast case, give them a copy of the CCTV footage of the fateful day. However, the application filed by NIA does not mention any specific reason for this request.

The CCTV footage obtained by the ATS shows that the bomb was planted inside the bakery by Yasin Bhatkal, an alleged Indian Mujahideen terrorist, who is wanted many cases since 2006, including the German Bakery blast case.

Bhatkal, who hails from Karnataka, is wanted by several agencies for various blasts across the country. In Mumbai, his name cropped up during the probe into the 13/7 triple blasts in Dadar, Zaveri Bazaar and Opera House in 2011.

The NIA had filed their application before the HC which is due to hear the confirmation of death sentence of Mirza Himayat Baig, the sole convict in the German Bakery blast case. Baig has also filed an appeal challenging his conviction.

On April 19, the sessions court in Pune awarded death penalty to Baig, a resident of Beed. As per the law, the state government has to get the death sentence confirmed from the Bombay high court. Baig was convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Explosive Substances Act, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967.