The Bombay High Court on Thursday quashed a death penalty given to the lone convict of the 2010 German Bakery blast in Pune. In 2013, a sessions court in Pune had convicted Himayat Baig and awarded him the death penalty for his involvement in the blast that killed 17 people and injured 58. He was acquitted of unlawful activities and eight other charges, but the court upheld charges of possessing RDX and using forged documents. A death sentence ordered by a sessions court has to be supported by a high court. Baig had filed an appeal challenging the 2013 verdict.

The police had said Baig was a member of terror outfit Indian Mujahideen. A Bombay High Court bench had reserved the order in December 2015. The Indian Express reported that two key witnesses said they were coerced into testifying against Baig during the trial. Aam Aadmi Party member Ashish Khetan had also filed an application that said a sting operation showed the witnesses revealing that the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad had coerced them into giving their testimonies.