11/7 police witness accused of lying

A defence lawyer in the 11/7 serial train blasts case is planning to charge a prosecution witness who deposed on Wednesday with perjury.

A defence lawyer in the 11/7 serial train blasts case is planning to charge a prosecution witness who deposed on Wednesday with perjury.

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The witness claims he was present when the raid took place and the police seized maps and literature from an accused’s house at Bhoiwada.

If the court admits the charges, the witness’ evidence will not be admissible in court and is likely to affect the case against the accused.

A witness produced by the police is referred to as a ‘panch’ witness. The law does not permit a person to be a panch witness in more than one case. Defence advocate Abdul Wahab Khan alleges that the witness has lied, that when he asked the witness in court whether he has ever been a prosecution witness in any other case apart from 11/7, the witness said no.

“When I showed him his statement as a witness in a fake currency case which was being investigated by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and now has been taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), he denied it was his statement,” said Khan.

The court has now directed the ATS to produce this witness’ statement in connection with the fake currency case on Thursday.

“If there’s a mismatch, we will move an application of perjury,” the advocate said.

Seven RDX bombs kept in the first class coaches of suburban trains exploded on July 11, 2006, killing 188 people and injuring 817 others.

Eleven people are being tried for their involvement in the blasts, while 14 others are absconding.

The examination of witnesses resumed after two years as the Supreme Court had stayed the trial in 2008. The stay was vacated on April 23.