Author: Mustafa Plumber
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: March 5, 2010
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/crime-branch-lines-up-extra-evidence-against-indian-mujahideen-suspects/586928/0
The Crime Branch will soon submit additional evidence in the special MCOCA
court against 21 alleged Indian Mujahideen operatives, having already filed
the final report early last year.
"Included in the additional evidence
will be chemical reports, some telephonic transcripts, and statements of some
formal witnesses that could not be recorded earlier," said a Crime Branch
officer.
Special public prosecutor Raja Thackeray said
the evidence would be submitted in a few days. "Yes we are in the process
of filing additional evidence in the court and we have already informed special
judge Y D Shinde verbally. The necessary application will be moved before
the court soon to take the evidence on record."
While submitting the final report, the police
usually move an application under Section 173 (8) of the CrPC for further
investigations, so they can carry on inquiries and record statements that
can then be presented in the form of a supplementary chargesheet.
The Crime Branch had in 2008 arrested the
21 for allegedly sending emails to media houses ahead of the blasts in Gujarat
and Delhi, owning responsibility. The emails were allegedly sent from different
WiFi accounts in and around Mumbai that were hacked into.
The trial has, however, been stalled as most
of the accused are lodged at a prison in Gujarat, where they were sent as
they are also being tried for an offence registered there. The Gujarat government
passed an order under Section 268 of the CrPC preventing them from leaving
the state until that trial is over.
Among the 21 accused, over 10 are lodged at
Gujarat at the Sabarmati prison. These include Mansoor Peerbhoy, the alleged
media head of the group, who is accused of having sent the emails.
