MUMBAI, June 23: Film producer and accused in serial blast trial Samir Hingora, charged with carrying weapons to the Bandra residence of actor Sanjay Dutt, has urged president Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma to intervene and help him secure bail.

In a letter to the President, Hingora said, ``India is celebrating the golden jubilee of its independence. I am suffering for the last 50 months and the trial is expected to take several years. If not released on bail, I may be forced to suffer unbearable jail incarceration of a life term as an undertrial.''

``I earnestly request you to intervene and restore my azadee (freedom), otherwise my entire family will be ruined for no fault of theirs,'' Hingora pleaded.

The TADA (P) act lapsed two years ago and the Supreme Court granted bail benefits to all the TADA accused throughout the country, he said, adding that, however, the serial blast case was made an exception by the apex court in its famous judgement in the Shaheen welfare case.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.