Pune: A special court in Pune on Friday directed the prosecution to provide “hash value” verified copies of documents, electronic data and images seized during the raids to all the accused in the Elgar Parishad case. Two accused, Surendra Gadling and Arun Ferreira, had moved an application before Additional Sessions Judge Kishor Vadane seeking copies of the data, seized from the accused during the raids.
“The court today allowed our application and directed that, on May 27, two Forensic Science Laboratory officials will verify or match the hash values of the documents, copies and electronic data that were seized during the raids and will be given to the accused,” said Rohan Nahar, representing some of the accused in the case.
Nahar said the intention to seek hash value verified documents, files, electronic data and images are to confirm whether the data seized during the raids and data is not tampered with.
“Earlier, the hash value calculated or verified data was not provided to us. Only printed copies were given to the accused so we could not say what was seized and what was given to us was the same and that is why we are now asking for FSL verified copies,” he said.
District government pleader and Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwala Pawar opposed the plea citing if given the copies, there is a possibility it may be misused as there are some absconding accused. Nahar said they are also moving an application for default bail as it has been over 180 days and the accused were not served verified data or documents and it makes the charge sheet incomplete.
