Accused seek stay on murder trial

Three accused, facing trial in the murder case of TV journalist Soumya Vishwanathan, on Friday approached a Delhi court seeking a stay on the proceedings in another case relating to killing of IT executive Jigisha Ghosh last year.

Three accused, facing trial in the murder case of TV journalist Soumya Vishwanathan, on Friday approached a Delhi court seeking a stay on the proceedings in another case relating to killing of IT executive Jigisha Ghosh last year.

HT Image

In an application, filed before Additional Sessions Judge R Kirannath, the accused said "the trial in the murder case of Jigisha may be put in abeyance till the conclusion of proceedings in the Soumya case."

Amit Kumar, counsel for accused Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla and Baljeet Singh Malik said "the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) was invoked only in the Soumya murder case and the law says that till the conclusion of the trial in matters, registered under the special statutes such as MCOCA, hearing in others matters would be stayed." The case relating to the murder of Ghosh was not registered under MCOCA, the counsel said.

The court, which has fixed the application for hearing tomorrow, asked the public prosecutor to respond to the application.