SC refuses to grant Zaibunissa, two others time to surrender

The Supreme Court today refused to grant three persons additional time to surrender before a TADA court in connection with their conviction in the 1993 serial blasts case and said they should surrender by 18 April. Three convicts — Zaibunisha Anwar Kazi, Issaq Mohd Hajwane and Shariff Abdul Gafoor Parker alias Dadabhai — had approached the apex court for extension of time to surrender. They had pleaded that the time limit fixed by the apex court be extended till their clemency plea is decided by the President. [caption id=“attachment_702172” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] However, the Supreme Court refused to entertain their request and said they would have to surrender. If this is allowed then the president’s house will be flooded with such requests, the Supreme Court bench was quoted as saying by CNN-IBN. The court also refused to consider their petitions that the three were suffering from ill health. The Supreme Court had on March 21 upheld TADA court’s verdict of a five year jail term to Kazi who is 70 years old and suffering from cancer. Hajwane, 76, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the apex court which enhanced his five year jail term sentence awarded by the trial court. He spent five years in jail during the trial of the case. The life sentence awarded by the TADA court to Parker, 88, was upheld by the apex court. He has already served over 14 years in jail. Actor Sanjay Dutt’s plea seeking six months to surrender will also come up for hearing before a different Supreme Court bench later today. However, unlike the three who have been convicted under Terrorism and Disruptive (Prevention) Act, Dutt has been convicted only under the Arms Act.