The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the progress of the trial in the nine cases investigated by the special investigation team (SIT) headed by former CBI Director R.K. Raghavan.
A Bench of Justices H.L. Dattu, Ms. Ranajana Desai and M.Y. Eqbal after examining a status report submitted by the SIT, said, "A lot of progress has been achieved. The report says out of nine cases monitored by the court, investigation in six cases is over, resulting in conviction. And the rest of the three cases are in the final stages."
Senior counsel Harish Salve, who is the amicus curiae in these cases, told the court that sic cases ended in conviction and other cases were in the advanced stage. He suggested that the matter might be posted for further hearing in August and accordingly the Bench adjourned the hearing to August 26.
Meanwhile a Bench of Justices C.K. Prasad and Pinaki Chandra Ghose set aside a Gujarat High Court order refusing to discharge the Water Resources Minister Babubhai Bhimabhai Bokhiria in a case relating to the murder of a Congress leader nine years ago. The Bench set aside a trial court order in 2008 making the minister a co-accused.
On November 16, 2005, Congress leader Mulu Modhwadiya was shot dead at point-blank range outside his house in Porbandar. The police arrested alleged gangster Bhima Dula and 10 others and filed a charge sheet in 2006.
In 2008, a trial court made Mr. Bokhiria a co-accused after the Congress leader's son alleged that a piece of paper found from the body revealed that his father feared a threat to his life from the Minister. Mr. Bokhiria was charged with murder and conspiracy. The Minister then approached the Gujarat High court against the framing of charges. But it refused to discharge him and the present appeal is directed against this order.
