The Hindu : Coimbatore serial blast case trial to resume on July 22

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 16, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Coimbatore serial blast case trial to resume on July 22

By V.S. Palaniappan

COIMBATORE JULY 15. The Coimbatore serial blast case trial, which has remained paralysed in the Designated Court here since June 4 over the appointment of an advocate of the choice of the accused, is all set to resume on July 22.

(The trial could not be conducted as a couple of accused had preferred a revision petition in the Madras High Court challenging the designated judge's order disallowing counsel of their choice).

Today, counsel for the other accused appealed to the Judge to proceed with the trial, and suggested that the other two undefended accused (whose counsel had been withdrawn recently) could be tried after their revision petition was disposed of by the High Court.

While acceding to the request, the judge, R. Sivakumar, asked the accused to conduct themselves properly in the court and wanted them to cooperate during the trial.

Following the withdrawal of an advocate, the two accused — Vazharntha Salim and Mujibur Rehman — sought the appointment of a particular counsel to defend them. However, the judge observed that it was for the court to decide on the competence of counsel. Before dismissing the plea, he noted that the accused were attempting to encroach upon the powers of the court, and said he had reasons to believe that some of the accused shared the remuneration paid for defence counsel, appointed by the Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority. The accused staged a protest in court and then filed a revision petition in the High Court for the appointment of counsel of their choice. During the last sitting, defence counsel moved an adjournment petition seeking time till the disposal of the revision petition.

When the case came up today, the judge pointed out that the accused were not in the habit of according even the conventional courtesy, such as standing up when the presiding officer entered the hall to the court. When the `Amir', leader of the accused, Ansari, said their faith did not advocate such respect or honour to fellow human beings, the judge said the gesture was not to any individual but to the institution of judiciary.

There are 166 persons arraigned as accused, which has nearly 2,000 witnesses. Of them, only 98 witnesses have been examined so far. The State has appointed defence counsel numbering 27 for the economically underprivileged accused through the Legal Aid Services.

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