Twin blast trial restarts before POTA court

Mumbai, July 27 (UNI) After a gap of about three months, the trial of the twin bomb blast cases of 2003--Jhaveri Bazar and Gateway of India, restarted today before special POTA court judge S S Joshi.

The trial, which was conducted on a day-to-day basis was temporarily suspended following the transfer of the trial judge during May this year.

Today all the five accused in this case have been produced before the special POTA judge and two witnesses in this case were examined. In all, 49 witnesses in this case have so far deposed before the court.

Earlier this year, the trial was stopped as an accused in this case Hassan Shaikh Batteriwala had approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay of the trial on the ground that Central POTA Review Committee had concluded that POTA was not applicable in his case.

However, on Maharashtra Government's plea, the apex court on March 27 this year vacated the stay on the trial.

Two accused Hassan Shaikh Batteriwala and Rizwan Ansari Laduwala had approached the POTA special court to discharge them from POTA charges following POTA committee recommendation in this regard. It was, however, turned down by the POTA court. They then approached the Bombay High Court which also rejected their plea.

The POTA review committee while making their recommendation observed that any accused allegedly involved in a conspiracy will not keep explosives in their custody for more than three months after the crime as alleged in the present case. The committee also did not take into account the confessional statement of the accused since they had been forced to make the confession.

Five accused are facing trial in this case which included Ashrat S Ansari, Mohd Hanif Sayyed, Hassan Shaikh Batteriwala, Rizwan Ansari Laduwala and Fahmida Hanif Sayed.

In August 2003, 54 people were killed and over 70 injured in Jhaveri Bazar and Gateway of India bomb blasts in Mumbai.

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