Deepali Kalia-
Sessions Court in Mumbai issued directions to the deputy commissioner of Crime Investigation Department (CID) to personally attend the court hearing on the next date, with information regarding the appointment of a special public prosecutor in Khwaja Yunus custodial death case which had stalled for over three years.
It was also directed by the Court that Sachin Waze, a dismissed cop who is also an accused in the present case, be produced through video conferencing before it.
National Investigation Agency (NIA) had arrested Waze in March of this year for allegedly being involved in placing an SUV with explosives near the Ambani residence and the murder of a man who was connected to the SUV.
Waze currently has been placed in Taloja central jail.
Thus, a production warrant to produce the dismissed cop on the next date of hearing via video conferencing was issued by the Court.
“Issue letter to the State DCP, State CID, CBD Belapur. He is directed to attend Court personally on the next date with requisite information about the appointment of special public prosecution by the state government. SPP has been absent for more than three years and the case has been held up. He shall produce documents about steps taken by his office to proceed with this case since 2018”, the Court stated.
It was also brought to the Court’s notice that separate petitions in relation to the case were pending before Bombay High Court and Supreme Court which had been filed by Yunus’s mother and the accused in the case.
Hence, the Court directed that the chief public prosecutor update it on the progress made with regard to those petitions.
Khwaja Yunus, a 27-year old software engineer and a Parbhani resident along with others was arrested in 2002 in the Ghatkopar blast case. Sachin Waze along with three constables is currently on trial on charges of murder and destruction of evidence in the custodial death case of Yunus.
It was claimed by the police team led by Waze that Yunus, who was last seen alive on 6th January 2003, had escaped from custody. However, CID stating that Yunus had died in custody filed an FIR against Waze and three other constables.
Read more: Custodial deaths in India