Public prosecutor withdraws from Coimbatore blasts case

Special court judge M Thanikachalam adjourned further proceedings in the Udumalpet blast case to September 18.

A bomb went off in a cycle at Udumalpet in the district on December 3, 1997 killing three women and injuring few others. Nine people, including Mohammed Ali Khan Kutty, M D Pashed, Nazar and Riaz-ur-Rehman were arrested in connection with the blast.

Court sources said the state Law Ministry would start the process for the appointment of another public prosecutor in place of Soundarajan.

The special court top official said the maximum number of adjournments had already been given to the 54 accused, including the banned Al-Umma president S A Pasha, for appointing their lawyers in the Coimbatore serial bomb blasts case. The government had also set up a legal aid cell for this purpose.

The judge might pass orders to provide legal counsel to them from the government legal cell when the case comes up for hearing tomorrow.

The official said even if the accused did not agree to government legal counsel, the court would resume further proceedings in the case.

Asked why the accused were not appointing lawyers for the case, the official said the undertrials enjoyed more benefits than convicted prisoners.