Best NBW: Accused plead against verdict

The 20 accused in the Best Bakery case filed a petition in the Vadodara Sessions Court today, objecting to the jurisdiction of the city sessions court that issued non-bailable warrants against them. After hearing the case, Judge P.A. Dave deferred the judgment till April 26.

Defence counsel Rajendra Trivedi, who had fought the case during the trial in the fast track court of Judge H.U. Mahida last year, filed the petition on behalf of the accused. Trivedi said that it was not clear how the Vadodara court issued warrants against the accused, and contended that his clients should be immediately released or freed on bail.

‘‘We don’t know who is supposed to issue the warrants. As the trial court is to be in Maharashtra, it is outside the jurisdiction of Vadodara courts to issue the warrants. The arrested accused should be produced in front of the trial court which is not in Gujarat,’’ said Trivedi.

Meanwhile, police teams are trying to track down some of the accused who are absconding. Police Commissioner Sudhir Sinha said the accused might have left just after the April 12 Supreme Court verdict. Police had arrested two of the 20 accused against whom warrants were issued on Thursday.