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Sonu Shah murder case: Bishnoi to appear in court only via video conferencing
One of the eight accused in the case, Bishnoi was last produced in court in person on August 17, when a fresh chargesheet was to be filed
Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi will be produced before court in connection with the 2019 Sonu Shah murder case only via video conferencing, as per a notice issued to his counsel by a Chandigarh court.
One of the eight accused in the case, Bishnoi was last produced in court in person on August 17, when a fresh chargesheet was to be filed. However, the hearing was deferred after all eight could not be brought to court.
The court of additional district and sessions judge Jaibir Singh had then directed the Chandigarh Police to tie up with the respective jail authorities and decide on a date when all eight accused can be produced physically in court. Eventually, September 26 was finalised.
However, on Tuesday, the state’s additional public prosecutor moved an application, requesting the court to let Bishnoi’s trial be conducted via video conferencing from Sabarmati Central Jail, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The reason cited was that the Ahmedabad jail’s authority had sent a letter to the court, mentioning that Section 268 (1) of the CrPC had been invoked by the home ministry, via an order dated August 30, on Bishnoi. As such, he cannot be moved from Sabarmati jail for one year and he is to be produced before all courts concerned through video conferencing from the jail.
Following this, a notice was issued to Bishnoi’s defence counsel. The case is now listed for October 18.
Bishnoi’s counsel Terminder Singh said, “The court has issued a notice to the defence regarding his production via video conferencing for framing of charges. We have sought some time.”
Rajveer, alias Sonu Shah, a property dealer, was gunned down by four assailants inside his office at Burail village in Sector 45 on September 28, 2019.
Police had nominated eight accused in the murder case — Bishnoi, Dharminder Singh, Shubham alias Bigni, Manjit alias Rahul, Abhishek alias Banti, Raju Basodi, Rajan and Deepak alias Ranga. Charges were framed in 2022, but after the arrest of Deepak in April this year, the chargesheet needs to be filed afresh.
On August 17, police had produced Bishnoi before the court amid tight security. However, Raju, lodged in Tihar Jail, and Abhishek, lodged in Mandoli jail, could not be brought to the city.
