After 13 long years of the 1993 blasts, Special Judge PD Kode is still in the process of dictating the judgement against the 123 accused.
After 13 long years of the 1993 blasts, Special Judge PD Kode is still in the process of dictating the judgement against the 123 accused, including actor Sanjay Dutt, in the case. Judge Kode has fixed July 27 as the date when he will announce the date for pronouncing the final judgment. But after such a long wait, is it a case of “Justice delayed, Justice denied”?
“A delay of over 13 years is inexcusable,” said a leading criminal lawyer requesting anonymity. “Who will be deterred by a legal system which seems to have to urgency in delivering justice?” he asked.
The trail in the bomb blasts case began in 1993 itself. The process of recording evidence started in the November 1995 and ended only in 2000. Arguments by six prosecutors and 20 defence counsels lasted another two years. The trial was finally wrapped up in November 2003.
Since November 2004, Judge Kode has sat daily in the largest courtroom in the city (100’x 30’) from eleven to five, pouring over a record of over 45,000 pages of witness accounts and legal arguments.
It may take about five thousand pages or more of judicial reasoning to address the arguments in the case which dragged o for two years, six prosecutors and 20 defence counsels.
A total of 123 persons are accused in the case. Of them, 96 persons are in jail. The rest including Sanjay Dutt are out on bail. Eighteen persons are accused of planting bombs. If convicted they will face death sentences, or life sentences.
Eighteen others accused for planting bombs, which did not explode, could face terms between 5 years and life for aiding and abetting.
In November 2005, a prime accused in the case, Abu Salem, was extradited from Portugal. In order to avoid any further delay the CBI, which is investigating the case, asked for his trial to be separated from the main case? Judge Kode in June accepted the CBI’s plea.
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