The Bombay High Court on Wednesday sought to know from the Maharashtra prison authorities how long it plans to keep Himayat Baig, convicted in the 2010 Pune blast case , in solitary confinement. A division bench of Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Shyam Chandak directed additional public prosecutor Prajakta Shinde to take instructions from the Inspector General of Prison department on whether Baig could be moved from the ‘anda cell’ (solitary confinement) to a high security cell in the jail.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Baig seeking to be shifted out of solitary confinement. Baig claimed that he has been lodged in the anda cell at Nashik central prison for 12 years. Shinde told the court that Baig has been convicted and was sentenced to life in a blast case. The bench said it understands the security concerns, but sought to know how long can a prisoner be kept in such solitary confinement. “We understand your security concern but you know the situation, there is no light, no air. You don’t remove anyone from the anda cell even when food is given,” the court said.