Bail pleas in SC,Malegaon trial may be delayed

Last week,the Special MCOCA court hearing the case witnessed a busy day with the entire court staff packing papers pertaining to the case.

With a series of applications moved by those accused in the Malegaon 2008 bomb blast case before the Supreme Court and the Bombay High Court,the trial is set to face a long delay,lawyers here claim.

Last week,the Special MCOCA court hearing the case witnessed a busy day with the entire court staff packing papers pertaining to the case. Three trunk full of case papers have been packed and will be sent in a couple of days to the Supreme Court, said a court staff.

The SC is hearing prime accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakurs bail plea. Sadhvi,after unsuccessful attempts before the trial and the Bombay HC,has moved the SC seeking bail under the claim that she was illegally detained and her arrest was unconstitutional.

Story continues below this ad

The SC directed all the papers to be sent to them. As many as 20,000 papers with multiple photocopies will have to be furnished to the apex court now, said Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian.

Such applications before the apex court,lawyers claim,take more than a few years.

The SCs intervention and unavailability of case papers to the trial court,would not allow the court here to make any progress.

Only after the SC disposes the application there,will the papers be brought back to the court here and the case will make any progress, added Salian.