Bus burning case adjourned to Feb 5

Salem, Tamil Nadu, Feb 1 (UNI) A sessions court here today adjourned to February five the proceedings in the Dharmapuri bus burning case.

When the case came up for hearing before the Salem First Class Additional Sessions Judge V Krishnaraja, the defence completed its arguments after which the Judge adjourned it to February five.The prosecution would sum up the case history on the day.

In the aftermath of a Special court in Chennai convicting AIADMK Supremo J Jayalalithaa in the Kodaikanal Pleasant Stay Hotel Case on February two, 2000, enraged AIADMK workers commandeered Tamil Nadu Agricultural University bus in which students were returning to Coimbatore after an educational tour and set it ablaze killing three girls on the spot.

The re-trial in the sensational case began on March 21, 2005.

Of the 31 accused, one died during trial. The remaining 30 accused, including the prime accused, AIADMK Dharmapuri Union Secretary Muniayappan, appeared before the court.

In all 386 people were cited as prosecution witnesses in the case and the trial initially held in a Krishnagiri court.

Since 20 of the 22 prosecution witnesses in the case had turned hostile, one of the victims (Kokilavani) father, Veerasamy, filed a petition seeking transfer of trial from Krishanagiri to a court in Salem.

Subsequently, Mr Justice V Kanakaraj of Madras High court had on September 19, 2003 ordered a retrial in the case and directed the First Additional Sessions Judge, Salem, to take up the case.

UNI