HC allows 7/11 train blast convict to appear for law exam from jail

Mumbai: In a first, the Bombay High Court on Monday allowed Mohammed Sajid Marghoob Ansari, a life convict in the 7/11 Mumbai train bombings case, to take his LLB second semester exams from the Nashik Central Jail, where he is currently imprisoned. This is the first case where a convict has been allowed to take a law exam from within the prison premises. During the last hearing, a bench of Justices Makrand Karnik and Kamal Khata had asked the Mumbai University about the feasibility of conducting online exams for Ansari, who had missed two of his four papers due to logistical challenges. Following this, the university proposed a solution whereby Ansari was allowed to take his exams in jail. On Monday, a division bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande approved the suggestion of a joint committee constituted by the Mumbai University and the Anti-Terrorism Squad to allow Ansari to take his “Family Law” exam from a designated room within the jail on June 12.

According to the court order, the question paper will be emailed to the jail superintendent 15 minutes before the exam. The document will be downloaded and signed by both the jail superintendent and the invigilator. An invigilator from Siddhartha Law College, where Ansari is enrolled, will monitor the exam, reaching the jail an hour before the exam begins. Ansari will have two hours to complete the exam, after which his answer sheet will be sealed and handed over to the college principal. Additionally, three security personnel will be present to ensure the safety of all concerned.The court also addressed the wider issues faced by prisoners enrolled in professional courses, and opted to keep the petition active for further deliberations. According to the state, it costs around ₹81,000 per prisoner to transport them to exam centres.

Ansari, convicted in September 2015 for his role in the July 11, 2006 train bombings in Mumbai, had sought permission to take his law exams conducted by Siddhartha Law College from May 3 to May 15. The court initially allowed him to appear for the exams in person, directing the Nashik Central Jail authorities to take him to the college on the exam dates. Ansari, however, filed an application on May 10, stating that he was unable to appear for the exams on May 3 and 9 despite the court’s permission. The prosecution cited genuine efforts made by the jail authorities, but admitted that they failed to take him on time.

The court then sought an explanation from the jail superintendent about the delay by June 5 and asked the University of Mumbai about online exam options, which were not available at that time. Given the specific circumstances and security concerns, the high court suggested that the candidate may be required to take the exam online. It requested the university, in consultation with the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad, to clarify this possibility and consider rescheduling the missed exams. Ansari pursued further education during his 17 years of imprisonment, before he obtained permission from the court to study law and appear for his first semester exams in 2023. Despite opposition from the prosecution, citing Ansari as a high-risk prisoner convicted of serious charges, the high court had allowed him to continue his studies.