Framing of charges in 7/11 case deferred till tomorrow

Mumbai, Aug 6 (UNI) The special Maharashtra Control for Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) Court has deferred till tomorrow the framing of charges in the 7/11 train blasts case after the accused refused to sign on the charge papers.

MCOCA Court judge Mridula Bhatkar today asked the court staff to explain the charges to the accused after the defence advocates finished making submissions on the draft charges.

The accused -- Kamal Ansari, Dr Tanvir Ansari, Faisal Sheikh, Ehtesjham Siddique, Mohammed Majid Shafi, Mohammed Ali Aslam Sheikh, Mohammed Sajid, Abdul Wahiduddin, Muzammil Sheikh, Sohail Sheikh, Zameer Sheikh, Naveed Hussain and Asif Khan Basir Khan -- were told that they have been booked under sections 3 (ii) (3(2), 3(4) 3 (5) of MCOC Act, 120 (b), 302, 307, 121 (a), 122, 123, 124 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 13(a)(2), 17, 40 of Prevention of Unlawful Activity Act in 1967, 5, 6, 9(b) of Explosive Act, 159, 153 of Railway Act, 12(1)(c) of Passport Act and 3(4) of Prevention of Property Damage Act.

While the charges were being explained to the accused they interrupted the process saying that they wanted time to discuss the issue with their lawyer. To this, Judge Bhatkar told them that the Court will give them the time to discuss with their lawyers after the charges were framed.

When the accused were called into the box and asked whether the charges were acceptable to them or not, most of the accused said ''We have been falsely implicated in the case. We do not have faith in this court. Hence transfer the case from here.'' After the charges were explained to the accused, they refused to sign the charge papers forcing the Court to defer the framing of the charges in the case.

Some of the accused have moved an application seeking transfer of their case from the court. Judge Bhatkar will send their applications to Principal Judge Ashok Bhangale tomorrow to decide on the matter.

On November 30 last year, the prosecution had filed a chargesheet running into over 10,000 pages against the 13 accused, who are presently in judicial custody. The Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) had also filed a supplementary chargesheet against all the accused on April 9 this year.

The blasts on the suburban trains on July 11 last year, claimed 187 lives besides injuring over 800 people.

UNI