Court refuses to hear Rana's plea for transfer of Phoolan case

NEW DELHI: A Delhi Court on Monday refused to hear a plea of Sher Singh Rana, prime accused in the Phoolan Devi murder case, seeking transfer of the case to other court.
    
Rana had alleged that the trial judge had adopted "coercive measures" in recording statement of witnesses.
    
Judge-in-charge, Patiala House Courts, Mamta Sehgal remanded the matter to the court of Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) V K Bansal, who was conducting the trial in the case.
    
"You (Rana) may move your application with the district judge. I cannot provide any relief to you," Sehgal said, reverting the case back to the previous judge.
    
Rana had on February 19 sprang a surprise by declaring before the court of ASJ Bansal that he did not have trust on him.
    
ASJ Bansal, taking plea of Rana, who was later joined by four accused Dharam Prakash, Sharwan, Vijay and Shekhar, had then referred the matter to the judge-in-charge.
    
Appearing before the judge-in-charge, Rana had alleged, "ASJ Bansal used to issue threats against the witnesses (for action), who depose anything in our favour."
   
Special Public Prosecutor S K Saxena, however, had opposed his contentions by stating that the transfer of the bandit-turned-politician's murder case to any other court would further delay the trial.
    
Rana along with 11 others had allegedly conspired to kill Phoolan to avenge the 1981 Behmai massacre, in which she killed 17 people, all belonging to Thakur caste. The MP was murdered outside her Ashoka Road residence here on July 25, 2001.