HC summons Anandmargi in Chief Justice Ray attack case of 1975

New Delhi, Sep 18: While hearing an appeal against conviction in the case relating to a bomb attack in the capital on the then Chief Justice A N Ray in 1975, the Delhi High court today summoned accused Santosh Anand to be present in the court on Ocrober 12.

Justice J M Malick directed the prosecution to serve notice to Anand at Tis Hazari district courts on October 10, when he would be appearing before the Additional Sessions Judge to face trial in the murder of the then Railways Minister L N Mishra at Samastipur in Bihar on January 2, 1975.

Anandmargis-- Santosh Anand Avdhoot, Sudevanand-- and their advocate Ranjan Dwibedi had been convicted by the then District Judge K S Sidhu in October 1976 for throwing bombs at Chief Justice Ray near Supreme court as submitted by the prosecution.

The CBI, which investigated the matter, submitted before the trial court that the Anandmargies attempted to murder the then Chief Justive of India for not granting bail to the leader of the cult Anandmurti.

The convicts had challenged the conviction saying that the approver Vikram, also an accused, had retracted from his statement which he had given to the CBI during the interrogation. Vikram had reportedly stated that he had given the statement under pressure from the CBI during the recording of the evidence, said the appeal filed by Counsel M L Lahoty appearing for the convicts.

All the convicts are also accused of planting a bomb under the pendal at Samastipur where Mr Mishra was addressing a big gathering at the time of the explosion.

While Santosh Anand and Sudevanad were awarded 17 years imprisonment, Dwivedi was given four-year jail term by the lower court in 1976.

All are on bail after spending few years in jail due to pending appeal in the High Court.

Another accused in the case Ram Nagina Prasad, accused of supplying explosives to the convicts, was discharged due to lack of evidence.

UNI