April 19 may be red letter day for 1993 serial blasts convicts

Tada Judge PD Kode’s order asking all 123 accused in the 1993 serial blasts case to remain present in court on April 19 is indicative that he will start handing out the sentences on that date.

On Wednesday, though Judge Kode did not announce that he would begin pronouncing the punishment for the 100 convicted, he directed defence lawyers to ask all the 123 accused to appear in court. The last accused in the case was convicted on December 4, 2006. Since then, the court has been hearing arguments of both the defence and prosecution on the punishment to be handed out. Though 23 accused have been acquitted, it will be confirmed only after the final order is pronounced. The court is likely to proceed by announcing the punishment in batches. The entire process could take another week to 10 days. 

On Wednesday, Judge Kode also directed the accused not to file any new applications. He added that the order on the two intervention applications and nine applications filed by the accused demanding a retrial, seeking parity with actor Sanjay Dutt and urging the court to release them will be pronounced on April 16.

The prosecution wrapped up its arguments opposing the applications stating that none of them were maintainable. Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said that the accused could file an appeal in the Supreme Court once the order was made available. He opposed their plea to be let out on probation stating that they were not entitled to get the benefit of probation as they had been convicted under Tada.