Final arguments in LN Mishra murder case yet to take off

Even as the Supreme Court considers to wind up the trial in the LN Mishra murder case citing inordinate delay, the final arguments in the 37-year-old case failed to take off on Friday.

Even as the Supreme Court considers to wind up the trial in the LN Mishra murder case citing inordinate delay, the final arguments in the 37-year-old case failed to take off on Friday.

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Pleading before the Delhi additional sessions judge Vinod Goel, accused Sudevananda Avadhuta’s counsel refused to commence final arguments saying the accused had not been supplied with the copies of evidence recorded by the court.

Without going through the statements of the witnesses, the accused could not start final arguments, he told the court.

Mishra was killed in a bomb blast at a function at Samastipur Railway station in Bihar on January 3, 1975, and advocate Ranjan Dwivedi, who was 24-year-old at that time, was named an accused along with four Ananda Margi members, one of whom has died.

Mishra’s petition seeking quashing of the trial against the accused is pending before the SC. Dwivedi’s counsel had told the Supreme Court that the extraordinary delay was a sufficient ground to bring an end to the case.

Dwivedi was exempted from appearance on Friday while the other three accused Santoshanand Avadhuta, Sudevananda Avadhuta and Gopalji were present in the court.