Israeli diplomat attack: Court issues notice to special cell

A Delhi court on Wednesday issued notice to Delhi Police special cell on an application by scribe Syed Mohammad Kazmi, an accused in Israeli diplomat attack case, challenging the extension of probe period by a magisterial court.

Additional sessions judge Surinder S Rathi directed that a notice be issued to special cell to respond by July 30.

Kazmi’s counsel Mehmood Pracha had moved the court of district judge challenging the July 20 order passed by the chief metropolitan magistrate allowing a fresh report filed by police seeking extension of period of investigation from 90 to 180 days.

The application was marked by the district judge to the court of ASJ Rathi.

Pracha submitted in the application that the July 20 order of the CMM has been passed in a very cursory manner. He also moved a fresh bail application for Kazmi before the sessions court.

On July 20, the CMM had allowed special cell’s plea for extension of probe period considering its fresh report that police are presently engaged in a time-consuming investigation spanning various countries, including Iran, Malaysia, Thailand and Israel to ascertain if there was a “larger conspiracy” behind the February 13 terror attack on Israeli diplomat here.

The court had also dismissed Kazmi’s bail plea moved on the ground that police had got more time to probe the matter in a “calculated and malafide” manner.

Kazmi completed 90 days in custody on June 5. Police, however, did not file the chargesheet saying they were still probing the matter and sought extension of probe period by 90 days, which was allowed by the CMM on June 2.

The sessions court had on July 17 set aside the June 2 order saying the same was passed in “reticent and clandestine manner” as Kazmi’s counsel was not heard by the court and had given police the liberty to file within a week a fresh report before the CMM for extension of probe period.