MARGAO, AUG 5
The accused in the Margao bomb blast case has accused Home Minister Ravi Naik of concocting and manipulating evidence to implicate them in the case.
Defence lawyer Adv Sanjiv Punalyekar prayed to the South Goa Sessions Court on Thursday to conduct the bomb blast trial on a day-to-day basis saying an “invisible hand” may ensure disappearance of the evidence against the police involvement in concocting the case.
Pleading with the Session Judge U V Bakre to conduct the trial on a day-to-day basis, Adv Punalyekar submitted that the accused would produce certain evidence and witnesses about the personal involvement of the home minister in fabricating and manipulating evidence in collusion with the officials of the Ponda police station.
“Any delay in trial may result in the home minister discovering the names of those police personnel who would be important witnesses… in testifying about the fabrication of evidence,” Adv Punalyekar said.
The defence counsel later told newsmen that they have evidence which would be produced in the court to show the involvement of Home Minister Ravi Naik, Ponda Police station incharge, Police Inspector C L Patil and Vasant Bhat of Ramnathi Temple in concocting the evidence.
“After the prosecution examines its 250 witnesses, the defence would like to specifically examine the home minister, PI Patil and Vasant Bhat to prove the innocence of the accused,” he said.
Meanwhile, the accused has prayed to the Sessions Court for housing all the five accused arrested in the bomb blast in a single cell in the judicial lock-up.
Special Public Prosecutor S B Faria, representing the National Investigating Agency (NIA), however, pointed out that all aspects of jail matters are to be decided by jail officials. He further said that the application filed by the accused for housing them in a single cell is not maintainable.
After hearing arguments, Sessions Judge U V Bakre has reserved orders on the applications for day-to-day trial and to house the accused in a single cell in judicial custody.
