[BREAKING] 2008 Bengaluru Blasts accused Abdul Nasser Maudani moves Supreme Court for permission to move to Kerala citing delay in trial

Abdul Nasser Maudani, accused in the 2008 Bengaluru serial blasts case has approached the Supreme Court seeking permission to leave Bengaluru for his hometown in Kerala and stay back in the coastal state till the trial in the case is over. .Maudani cited undue delay of more than 6 years in completing the trial as a ground to seek the above relief. .The Supreme Court had in July 2014 granted bail to Maudani in view of his health complications. The Court had, however, ordered that Maudani should not leave the city of Bengaluru. Consequently, Maudani has been staying in Bengaluru since. Maudani has now sought relaxation of the bail condition on the ground that the undertakings on the basis of which bail condition survived have since lapsed. "The respondents had made a submission before this Court on November 14, 2014 that the trial will be completed within a period of four months from the said date. However, since then more than six years have elapsed and the trial has still not been concluded," the application drawn by advocate Harris Beeran and filed through advocate RS Jena said. .The trial has been protracted on account of lethargic attitude of Karnataka government, the plea further contended. .The petition stated that proceedings before the trial court was moving "at a snail's pace," often due to recall and reexamination of witnesses, transfer of Special Public Prosecutor thrice and then due to the COVID-19 outbreak..Presently, recording of statement as per Section 313 Criminal Procedure Code is underway, it was pointed out. .Maudani also submitted that after the last transfer of the Presiding officer, there has been no Presiding officer for the trial till date. .Maudani also cited a number of health ailments as another ground to seek his return to Kerala. In particular, he highlighted the deteriorating condition of his eyes adding that Bengaluru doctors had suggested him to undergo Ayurvedic treatment in Ernakulam district of Kerala. Thus on this account, the Maudani prayed that he should be allowed to return to Kerala..The plea noted that earlier in 2015 when his mother suffered from Cancer, Maudani was allowed to travel to Kerala as trial court was directed to relax his bail condition. A similar relief was granted in 2016 too. Next in 2017, he was allowed to travel to Kerala to attend his son's wedding. Maudani cited these instances to contend that he never flouted bail conditions.