MARGAO, AUG 27
The South Goa sessions court has finally framed charges against the four accused persons in the Margao bomb blast case.
The trial in the sensational case will commence from September 16 after the four accused pleaded not guilty and claimed to be tried.
Charges against the accused persons Vinay Talekar, Vinayak Patil, Dhananjay Ashtekar and Dilip Mangaonkar were framed after South Goa sessions Judge U V Bakre read out the charges to each of the accused in the open court. As they pleaded not guilty, the judge fixed September 16 for the commencement of trial – nearly 10 months after an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) exploded on a scooter behind Grace Church building, killing two persons on the even of Diwali festival.
The accused have been charged for waging a war against the country, for hatching criminal conspiracy and under section 16, 17 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and section 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosives Substances Act and Indian Penal Code – Section 121-A and 120-B.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had named 11 persons as accused in the Diwali eve Margao bomb blast case. While the court has framed charges against four of the 11 accused, two accused persons Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik have died in the bomb blast. Two other accused Prashant Ashtekar and Prashant Juvekar, who were arrested subsequently are presently in judicial custody and the court has asked the NIA to file the chargesheet against the accused while three other accused are still at large.
Meanwhile, the Sessions court will pronounce orders on the applications moved by the accused for day-to-day trial of the case and lodging the accused in a single cell in judicial lock-up at the next date of hearing.
