Mumbai: The special MCOCA court has warned the Navi Mumbai police as well as officials of Taloja prison for non-production of the accused in the court for want of police escorts. While the two had been blaming each other, the court said if the accused are not produced before the court on time, it would pass necessary orders, fixing accountability.
Special Court Issues Notice To Superintendent, Taloja Central Prison
Last week, the special court had issued notice to the Superintendent, Taloja central prison, to initiate contempt proceedings for not producing Nadeem Shaikh, one of the accused in the 13/7 serial blast case, for a hearing. The court has asked the officer to respond within a week. The prison authorities blamed the Navi Mumbai police for not providing adequate manpower to deploy escorts. The court then called for a reply from the Navi Mumbai Commissioner of Police, who later tendered an unconditional apology.
He contended that Shaikh has been produced before the court regularly from July 2022 on all the hearings. It was only recently that he was produced one a week because of the election, festival and public holidays. The court however noted that, even after specific directions the accused are not produced before the courts physically causing a hurdle in the trial. In case of the 13/7 blast, the court noted that Shaikh is conducting the trial himself, hence his presence is utmost necessary
