Panaji: The special court for National
Investigation Agency (NIA) cases on Monday decided to hold the
trial of infamous Margao bomb blast case for five days from
the first week of October, to expedite the hearing.
During the hearing today, special NIA Judge Nutan
Sardesai said that of the five days, three days would be
devoted only to this trial.
Eight members of right-wing Hindu organisation, Sanatan
Sanstha, have been chargesheeted for planning serial bomb
blasts in the state in October 2009.
The plan failed when the explosives went off on a scooter
while being ferried to the target spot. Two accused -- Malgonda
Patil and Yogesh Naik -- died in the explosion.
Six others were arrested during the investigation which
was first with state police, and was later handed over to the
National Investigating Agency.
Sanjiv Punalkar, defence lawyer, said that these
hearings would take place on October 1, 13, 20, 29 and
November 15.
"We will be examining a bunch of witnesses during these
five days," Punalkar said, adding that seventy witnesses were
to be examined, but to date only 23 had been examined.
He said that the accused were languishing in jail for
over two years, as NIA had been dragging the trial on.
The chargesheet in this case was filed on May 18, 2010,
but the case was transferred to NIA court only last month.
PTI
