Abdul Gani Turk,a convict on death-row,on Friday approached the vacation bench of the Bombay HC seeking a days release from the Yerwada prison to attend his youngest daughters wedding. Turks lawyer Farhana Shah mentioned his case before the court on Friday and said Turk requires the courts permission to attend his daughters wedding on June 4. Turk,who was held guilty in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case,has three sons and two daughters. The court will,however,hear the case on May 28. Turks application states that he may be escorted to the wedding by the jail staff and he will bear the expenses for the same. Since,Turk is on death-row,the jail authorities do not have the power to decide his application. Although,the Supreme Court is yet to confirm the death sentence awarded to Turk by the special TADA court in 2006,his punishment has not been suspended and he continues to be on death-row. Convicts on death-row are not entitled to release on parole or furlough like other prisoners. However,they can seek the courts permission to seek release from prison on certain days. Turk,who was arrested on March 18,1993 for his alleged involvement in the serial blasts that killed 257,has contended that he was allowed to attend his mothers funeral at his Dongri residence in 2009 and urged the court to let him attend his daughters wedding. Turk,a former recruit of prime absconding accused Tiger Memon,was handed out the capital punishment for parking a jeep filled with RDX at Century Bazaar in Worli on March 12,1993. This blast caused the maximum fatalities - 113 - and injured 227 people. Property damage is estimated to be Rs 2.41 crore.
