7/11 accused challenges application of MCOCA

MUMBAI: An accused in the July 11 Mumbai train blasts case has moved the Bombay High Court challenging the application of Maharashtra Control Of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) filed against him.

Asif Khan Bashir Khan, one of the alleged conspirators of the blasts, has challenged an application of MCOCA against him, on the ground that there was no other chargesheet filed against him anywhere in the past ten years.
   
Khan's lawyer Mubin Solkar contended that to prove he was a part of "organsied crime syndicate", which is a core offence in MCOCA, there has to be more than one chargesheet filed against the person in the past ten years.

A division bench comprising justice R M S Khandeparkar and justice Vijaya Kapse-Tahilramani called for records of the case and adjourned the hearing for a week.

The special MCOCA court had earlier rejected Khan's application.

Incidentally, Khan has already moved another application before the High Court, demanding that his case be transferred from the court of special MCOCA judge Mrudula Bhatkar.