Writing on IED matches with accused handwriting: report

MARGAO, JULY 1
The handwriting experts at Hyderabad has submitted to the South Goa Sessions Court that the “On and Off” writing on the Improvised Explosive Devises has matched with the handwriting of accused Dhananjay Ashtekar.
Submitting the handwriting expert report to the Sessions Court on Thursday, Special Public Prosecutor S B Faria said the handwriting expert has stated that the on and off writing mentioned on the IED is the handwriting of Dhananjay.
The prosecution has prayed to the court to frame charges against the accused under the Explosives Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and for waging a war against the State.
Faria said there is a strong suspicion about the involvement of the accused with the bomb blasts and told the court that the recovery panchanama and other evidence suggests the link between the accused and the blast.
Defense lawyer Adv Sanjiv Punalekar, however, prayed to the court that the accused are entitled for a discharge as the prosecution has failed to link the bomb blast with the accused persons.
Adv Punalekar raised doubts about the handwriting expert report, terming the report as dubious and prepared without application of mind.
Countering the prosecution theory on the mobile phones with the accused, Adv Punalekar said there is no connection with the blast and the mobiles. “The mobile phones were given to the accused at the Ponda police station. How can the accused be linked to the blasts when there is no nexus between them and the mobiles”, he wondered.
Adv Punalekar said that section 15 and 16 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act are not attracted against the accused and prayed that the accused are entitled for bail.
He also argued that the accused are not involved in any terrorist activities, saying terror cannot be unleashed by the accused against their own section. “No one will terrorise one’s own section. At the most, it may amount to mischief under the IPC”, Adv Punalekar said.
Saying that the four accused arrested in the case comprises of an engineer, a self defense instructor, a teacher and an MBA, Adv Punakelar said the four have been languishing in jail for the last six months and denial of bail to the foursome would jeopardise their careers and their life.
After hearing the prosecution and defense arguments, Sessions Judge U V Bakre has reserved orders on the framing of charge and bail applications of the accused to July 14.
Meanwhile, an application was moved before the Sessions court by a resident of Miraj for release of his vehicle by the police in connection with the bomb blast case.