Bombay HC allows 7/11 blasts case convict to take law exam from prison, says we want more lawyers [Read Order]

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has permitted one Mohammed Sajid Marghoob Ansari, a convict in the 7/11 Maharashtra serial train blasts case, to appear for his law exam online, from the Nashik central prison, where he is currently lodged.

Refusing to accept the prosecutions submission that this should not be taken to set a precedent, the bench enquired, "Why not? If people want to improve their educational qualifications, then why not? We want more lawyers."

Ansari, who is enrolled with the Siddharth Law College in South Mumbai had sought permission to appear for his second semester law examination from May 3 to May 15.

While earlier the Court had already permitted him earlier to appear for the exams physically, Ansari had missed his exams as he could not be produced by the jail authorities in college on the exam dates.

The Nashik central prison authorities informed Court that this was despite genuine efforts. However, Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Mankhuvar Deshmukh, appearing for the jail authorities, also added that taking inmates convicted of serious offenses such as terrorism, outside jail, raises security concerns.

On May 10, Ansari filed an application, claiming he could not appear for some of the papers as he could not be produced by the college on time, and that hence, he may be permitted to appear online.

The Court had therefore directed Mumbai University to consider online appearance for Ansari.
However, Mumbai University, in turn informed the bench that it had agreed to arrange for Ansaris examination in the prison itself, and that Ansari could appear for the one remaining paper for the second semester exams scheduled for June 12, from Nashik prison itself.

The University would send an invigilator for the conduct of the exam, it said, and that this decision was arrived at after deliberation with prison officials and officials of the Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad.
Sharing the protocol decided by the authorities, he said that the question paper was going to be emailed the jail and jail Superintendents official mail addresses.

Ansari would attempt the exam from inside the jail itself from 10.30 am till noon, after which his paper would be sealed by the invigilator and personally handed over to Siddharth Law College's Principal.
The DIG (Prisons) also submitted an affidavit to consider framing a policy on the issue of holding exams for jail inmates in the jail itself.

The Court expressed its approval of the steps taken by the Prison department and observed that a mechanism could be formulated for conduct of exams for jail inmates, and posted the matter for further hearing on July 1.

[Read Order]