2008 serial blasts: Court issues notices to prison authorities

NEW DELHI: Irked over non-production of 11 out of 13 suspected members of Indian Mujahideen, facing trial in September 2008 Delhi serial blasts, a court here has issued show cause notices to superintendents of Mumbai and Ahmedabad jails to explain why action be not taken against them.

Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash issued the show cause notices to superintendents of Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail and Ahmedabad's Sabarmati central jail, where these 11 accused are presently lodged in judicial custody.

"Despite issuance of production warrants against the accused persons they could not be produced. Issue show cause notice to both the superintendent as to why action be not taken against them," the judge said.

Out of these 11 accused, five are presently lodged in the Mumbai's jail while six others are lodged in the prison at Ahmedabad under judicial custody. Two other accused are lodged here in Tihar jail.

The court had earlier ordered for production of accused, lodged in jails at Mumbai and Ahmedabad, before it.

The order had come after some of the accused had said they want to be present physically before the court at the time of recording of statement of the prosecution witnesses.

During most of the hearings, these 11 accused were roduced before the court through video conferencing. The court has now issued production warrants for February 28 for the accused lodged in prisons in Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

"Let the production warrants be issued for production of accused, who are lodged in Arthur Road Jail, Mumbai, and Ahmadabad Jail for February 28, 2014," it said. The September 13, 2008 serial blasts had claimed 26 lives and left 135 people injured. Five cases were lodged in connection with the blasts at Gaffar Market in Karol Bagh, Barakhamba Road in Connaught Place, M-Block Market in Greater Kailash and recovery of a bomb near India Gate.