Mumbai: The trial in the 2006 serial blasts
in Mumbai trains, in which 187 people were killed and over 800
injured, resumed here today before a special MCOCA court, two
years after it was stayed by the Supreme Court.
The apex court had in February 2008 stayed the trial
after one of the arrested, Kamal Ansari, moved the court
challenging the constitutional validity of a particular
section pertaining to insurgency in the Maharashtra Control of
Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
The Supreme Court had on April 25 this year dismissed the
petition and vacated the stay on the trial.
All the 13 arrested accused attended the proceedings
today through video-conferencing.
With only one lawyer having consented to appear for the
accused so far, Special Judge Y D Shinde adjourned the case
until June 14, directing all the accused to appoint a lawyer
for themselves by the stipulated period.
The accused had earlier refused to appoint any lawyer to
defend them and demanded for the stringent provisions of MCOCA
be dropped from the case.
The Jamaiat-e-Ulema, a Muslim organisation, which offers
legal support to the accused, has contacted several criminal
lawyers to defend the suspects.
"Four lawyers - Abadh Ponda, Zia-ul-Mustafa, Prakash
Shetty and R B Mokashi would appear for the accused on the
next date. We have approached other lawyers for the case,"
Gulzar Azmi, General Secretary of the organisation, said.
-PTI
