Mumbai: The Bombay High Court will start day to day hearings in the July 11, 2006 serial train blasts case, popularly known as 7/11 Mumbai Train Blasts case, from October 5.
A division bench of Justices Nitin Sambre and Rajesh Patil, on Friday, said that it will not grant any adjournments in the hearings once it commences from October 5.
The Maharashtra government also informed the bench that senior advocate Raja Thakare will continue as the special public prosecutor (SPP) to represent the state in the case.
The high court had pulled up the state government on September 6 over the appointment of SPP in the case.
On Friday, the government said it has issued a Government Resolution appointing Thakare as the SPP. Thakare had represented the state before the special court in which five convicts were awarded death sentences.
During the hearing, one of the advocates representing the convicts requested the bench to schedule the next hearing after six weeks, instead of four-week on October 5.
However, the bench turned down the request and emphasised that no adjournments would be granted once the arguments begin.
Gravity of the case
“This matter is listed time and again before court and considering gravity we deem appropriate to fix the matter on 5th October for hearing on a day to day basis. We direct convicts to commence arguments. No adjournment on whatsoever ground will be allowed,” the bench said in its order.
Advocate for one of the convicts, Kamal Ansari, informed the bench that Ansari had passed away during Covid. However, his family expressed their intention to continue contesting the confirmation of the death sentence.
Security concerns while producing accused physically in court
The court was informed that the accused had filed several applications seeking their physical presence during the hearings. Thakare opposed the plea saying that they could be produced virtually. He added that in one of the confirmation cases before another bench, the convict was allowed to appear virtually.
Additional government pleader Mankuwar Deshmukh, also opposed the plea citing security concerns while producing them physically in court.
The counsel for the convicts said that they would satisfy the court that presence of the convicts can be allowed.
The bench kept the matter for hearing applications regarding physical presence on October 3 and the main confirmation pleas on October 5th.
