2008 serial blasts case may be shifted to NIA court

Defence objects to prosecution's motion, says trial almost over

The 2008 Bengaluru serial blasts case is likely to be shifted to the National Investigating Agency (NIA) court here in accordance with the provisions in the NIA Act.

The public prosecutor for the case has filed a memo in this regard before the 45th Additional City Civil Sessions Court, which is trying the case from within the Bangalore Central Prison premises at Parappana Agrahara since 2010.

A senior advocate said that as per Section 22 (4) of the NIA Act, even a pending case or under-trial case shall stand transferred to the NIA court.

“NIA is an Act with scheduled offences under eight different Acts. In fact, Section 13 (1) of the Act states that every scheduled offence shall be tried only by the special court within whose local jurisdiction it was committed. And, Section 22 (4) states that on and from the date when the special court is constituted by the State government, the trial of any offence investigated under the provisions of this Act shall stand transferred to that court on the date on which it is constituted,” the advocate said.

Sources said the counsels appearing for the accused in the 2008 serial blasts filed objections to the memo filed by the public prosecutor.

“The 34th sessions court had tried the Church blasts case. After the completion of the case, the 2008 serial blasts case was committed to the same court. The advocates for the accused objected to the memo stating that the trial in the 2008 case has almost reached witnesses’ examination stage,” the advocate said.

The 34th Additional City Civil Sessions court judge heard the arguments and forwarded the matter to Principal District Judge for ‘further appropriate order’.

A senior police officer said the Chinnaswamy Stadium blasts case, which took place in April 2010, was transferred to the NIA court on Monday.

“After the enactment of the NIA Act, cases registered under the provisions of eight Acts such as the Atomic Energy Act, Anti-Hijacking Act and even Sections 121 to 130 and Sections 489-A and 489-E of the IPC shall be tried at the NIA special court.

Already, a case pertaining to alleged assassination plot registered at the Basa­- vesh­wara­nagar police station, later probed by the NIA, is being tried at the NIA court. Similarly, the stadium blasts case was earlier committed to the 45th sessions court and later transferred to the NIA court,” the official said.