‘Can special courts be set up for IM accused?’

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to Centre and four states governments — Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Delhi — asking whether special courts could be set up to try cases relating to terrorist activists of alleged IM operatives.

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to Centre and four states governments — Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Delhi — asking whether special courts could be set up to try cases relating to terrorist activists of alleged IM operatives.

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“Issue notice confining to the question whether special courts could be established in Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Surat, Jaipur and Delhi, to try cases relating to terrorist activities,” said the bench comprising Chief Justice of India K. Balakrishnan, Justice Deepak Verma and Justice B.S. Chauhan.

Nine alleged operatives of terrorist outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM), including head of IM media cell Mohammed Mansoor Asgar Peerbhoy, had approached the apex court and filed a writ petition through their lawyer M.S. Khan, seeking clubbing of their cases to Delhi for a fast trial.

Their lawyer M.S. Khan said: “The court has issued notice to the Centre and state governments and sought their reply.”

Zia-ur-Rehman, Mohammed Shakeel, Mohammed Saif, Zeeshan Ahmed, Saquib Nisar, Mubin Kadar Shaikh, Asif Bashiruddin Shaikh and Mohammed Akbar — accused in 2008 blasts across five states — in their petition said they are lodged in Sabarmati jail in Gujarat for 18 months.

They said in their petition that they have been made soft targets by the investigating agencies and have involved them in all the serial bomb blasts cases to avoid “serious and meaningful investigation”.