Judiciary in limelight due to serial bomb blast case

Mumbai, Dec 29 (UNI) Judiciary was in the limelight following the judgement of long-awaited 1993 serial bomb blasts that rocked the country coupled with cases of rapes, corruption, appearances of Bollywood personalities, polititicians, contempt of court notice, medical colleges, conviction of two British nationals in sexual exploitation case and other cases during the year 2006.

The major development was the 1993 serial blast case in which 100 people including Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt, were held guilty and 23 acquitted by the Special TADA court. The quantum of sentenced is yet to be pronounced as arguement on the conviction is going on.

The court had separated the trial of extradited underworld don Abu Salem and Royaz Siddique in the serial blast case.

Another most infamous case was of Sunil More, former police constable, who was sentenced 12-year RI (Rigorous Imprisonment) for raping a 17-year collegian at Marine drive police chowki.

The conviction ratio was around 30-40 per cent in the City Civil and Session Court, while the deposals of the cases was speedy as around 50 per cent cases were disposed of. In the session court, a majority of rape case accused were convicted.

Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian said the conviction under strigent act (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) was around 70 per cent. Out of four judgements, accused persons in three cases were convicted under stringent act and in one case under Indian Penal Code (IPC). In the year, 21 new cases were registered and now 23 are pending, she added.

During the year, more than 1300 under NDPS, ACB, CBI, MCOCA and other cases were registered. In the beginning of the year, 5900 session cases were pending out of that more than 2000 cases were disposed of during the year.

In City Civil court, more than 8000 cases were registered and 6500 cases were disposed of.

The Bombay High Court had pulled up the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) standing committee saying it had blindly passed a proposal to appoint road development consultant auditor at a cost of Rs four crore and ordered for a fresh tender for the same.

The High Court had also served contempt notice on National Carrier Air India top management officials for disobeying its order regarding training and promotion of the pilots.

MORE UNI ST RL KN1506