NIA team sent to bring Margao blast accused
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, AUG 4
A National Investigating Agency (NIA) team headed by Superintendent of Police, S Vijayan has left for Nashik on Wednesday to take custody of accused Prashant Juvekar in the Margao bomb blast case, even as the South Goa Sessions Court will hear on Thursday morning the question of framing of charges against the four persons who have been indicted in the case.
Armed with a transfer warrant from the Sessions Court, the NIA team has left for Nashik to take custody of accused Juvekar, who was arrested by the Maharashtra ATS three days ago.
Meanwhile, the South Goa Sessions Court is expected to frame charges against the four accused persons – Vinay Talekar, Vinayak Patil, Dhananjay Ashtekar and Dilip Mangaonkar – for waging war against the State and under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Explosives Substances Act.
Sessions Judge U V Bakre had earlier rejected the plea of the accused for their discharge in the case and had ordered framing of criminal charges against the four accused.
The Sessions Court will also hear the application filed by the accused, including accused Prashant Ashtekar, who had surrendered to the police last month, to house them in a single cell in judicial custody.
The accused had made the application fearing physical assault from anti-social elements inside the jail lock-up.
The NIA has decided to oppose the application on grounds that such an application is not maintainable. In fact, NIA legal counsel, S B Faria has made it clear that the application ought to have been directed to the jail superintendent since the jails are covered under the jail manual.
The Sessions Court will also decide the application moved by the accused persons for day-to-day trial of the case as mandated under the NIA Act.
