German bakery blast: Supreme Court seeks convict's response on Maharashtra appeal

The Supreme Court on Friday sought reply from lone convict Mirza Himayat Baig in the 2010 German Bakery blast case in Pune, while hearing the appeal filed by the Maharashtra government against the Bombay High Court's order, acquitting Baig from terror charges.

Baig was handed over the death penalty by a special court for his involvement in the terrorist act. But the high court reduced the sentence to life for possession of explosives under the Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act. Baig is currently in the Arthur Road Central Jail in Mumbai.

Seventeen people died and over 50 were injured in the blast. In April 2013, when he was being awarded the death sentence, Baig had wept in court, pleading innocence and saying he was "the 18th victim of the blast". The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had claimed that he was the blast mastermind.

The state government has claimed that despite medical, forensic and circumstantial evidence, the high court has erred by reducing the sentence. It also cited the testimony of majority of witnesses, who gave statements against Baig.