Chief Justice of India SA Bobde on Monday called Kerala's People Democratic Party leader Abdul Nasser Madani, facing trial in the Bengaluru blasts case of 2008, a "dangerous man."
Madani had moved the top court seeking permission to leave for Bengaluru for his hometown in Kerala and wanted to remain there till the trial in the 2008 Bengaluru serial blasts case was over.
A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde and comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian heard this petition on Monday. "You are a dangerous man," the Chief Justice remarked and added, "Bail was granted by a Bench of which I was a part."
However, the hearing was postponed after Justice Ramasubramanian said he might have represented him earlier as a lawyer, and if it is correct then he will not be able to hear the matter.
Madani had moved the top court and sought relief citing delay of more than six years in completing the trial.
Senior advocate Jayant Bhushan, representing the petitioner, submitted before the bench that Justice Bobde had allowed him to travel to Kerala for a brief period for personal reasons. However, the bail was granted by another bench.
Madani's counsel sought time to verify the observation made by Justice Ramasubramaniam. After a brief hearing in the matter, the top court scheduled it for further hearing next week.
In an application, Madani, 56, had contended the cases were being dragged due to various reasons - recall of witnesses, transfer of prosecutor and trial judges, and Covid-19 -- and it was necessary to relax the bail conditions. He insisted that currently his presence in the trial was not required.
In July 2014, the top court had granted bail to Madani in the backdrop of his health issues and directed him not to leave Bengaluru.
Madani claimed that he was unable to avail Ayurveda treatment for his ill-health and cited the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic as the reason.
His application, filed through advocates Harris Beeran and R.S. Jena contended the Karnataka government had made a submission before the top court in 2014, that the trial will be completed within a period of four months. However, since then, more than six years have elapsed, and the trial has still not been concluded.
With IANS inputs