7/11 blasts case: State seeks time to reply on PIL

Mumbai, Jan 31 (UNI) The state goverment today sought two weeks time to file a reply on a public interest litigation (PIL) that has urged the court to order a CBI probe into the July 11, 2006 local trains blast cases that had left 172 people dead and over 500 injured here in the metropolis.

The PIL, which was filed last week by a city-based advocate Firoz Ansari, today came up for hearing before the division bench comprising Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice J P Dewdhar and was based on a reported statement by state police chief Dr P S Pasricha to media persons that ''some politician or MLA had masterminded the blasts''.

In the petition, advocate Ansari had stated that he had moved an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, requesting the police chief to disclose the name of the politician. But, the police claimed privilege and said they cannot disclose the name of the politician.

The Petitioner prayed to the court that a directive be given to the police chief to disclose the name of the politician and the CBI be asked to conduct a probe since the ''state machinery may be working under the influence of the alleged MLA or the politician who had masterminded the blast''. Hence, in the interest of the country, it is necessary to hand over this matter to the CBI for an independent probe, the PIL urged.

UNI AAA DB SB VC1810