HC directs POTA court to expedite Mumbai twin blasts case

Mumbai, Jul 20 (PTI) Taking serious cognizance of the petition filed by an accused in the Mumbai twin blasts case, the Bombay High court has directed the special Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) Court, which is conducting the trial, to expedite the case and check the credibility of two of the key witnesses in the case.The direction was passed in the petition filed by Ashrat Ansari, prime accused in the twin blast case.Ansari in his petition had questioned the credibility of two of the prime witnesses in the case, Ajmeri Shaikh and Kanti Popat.Ansari had moved the High Court after the POTA Court rejected his application.Justice Nishita Mhatre of the Bombay High Court in her judgement has observed that every individual has a right to appeal, be it a common man or an accused and that the POTA Judge should have given a patient hearing to Ansari's grievances before rejecting it.Both the witnesses, Shaikh and Popat, whose credibility Justice Mhatre has directed to check, are prime witnesses in the trial of the twin blasts that occured at the Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar in south Mumbai.Shaikh had deposed to have been a good friend of two of the accused Rizwan Ladoowala and Hassan Batterywala.He had said that he had visited the accused's residence after the blasts and Batterywala offered him sweets to "celebrate their achievement". PTI
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