Bombay HC Rejects Plea For Video Recording Of Trial Proceedings In 2008 Malegaon Blasts Case

The Bombay High Court on Thursday rejected a plea filed by accused Samir Kulkarni seeking video recording of proceedings in the 2008 Malegaon blast trial.

Division bench of Justice Ranjit more and Justice NJ Jamadar however reiterated to the Special NIA Court that the trial must be conducted expeditiously as directed earlier by the Supreme Court and the High Court as well.

Kulkarni, who was appearing in person,had filed the criminal writ petition in 2016 when he was in jail and has been released on bail since then. In the petition, Kulkarni contended that the trial was progressing at a very slow pace and Special NIA Court was deposing one witness in a day.

Advocate Sandesh Patil appeared on behalf the National Investigation Agency and APP SD Shinde appeared on behalf of the State. Patil informed the bench that 128 witnesses had already deposed and 369 are remaining.

Disposing of the petition, the bench said- "Conduct the trial as expeditiously as possible. We do not want either the accused or the prosecution to make any attempt to delay the proceedings."

On September 29, 2008, a bomb explosion took place at Bhiku Chowk, Malegaon, Maharashtra, killing six people and injuring over a hundred. Apart from Sameer Kulkarni, Member of Parliament from Bhopal Pragya Thakur, Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit, Major (Retd.) Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Ajay Rahilkar and Sudhakar Chaturvedi are accused in the case and have been charged with murder, abetment and conspiracy for the blast. Apart from various provisions under IPC, the accused have been charged under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.