Taking into consideration complications involved due to the different time zones of the United States and India, a special sessions court in Mumbai on Wednesday allowed Mumbai crime branch’s applicati
Taking into consideration complications involved due to the different time zones of the United States and India, a special sessions court in Mumbai on Wednesday allowed Mumbai crime branch’s application to change the working hours of the court to record the testimony of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) operative Dawood Gilani alias David Coleman Headley in the 26/11 terror attacks case.
The sessions judge G.A. Sanap allowed the application filed by special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and, hence, the court would be working as per the US time zone for two days in February.
The court had posted this matter to record Headley’s evidence on February 8; however the court proceedings would take place between 5 pm and 9 pm and next morning from 7 am to 10 am.
Advocate Nikam has confirmed the news that the court had allowed the application made by the crime branch and also said that this would expedite the process.
The application was made because Headley is housed in a prison in the United States and is serving out his 35-year imprisonment there, which is behind Indian time by 11 hours. It may be recalled that Headley was produced before the court last month via video conferencing and that time also the court had to work after 9.30 pm. That day Headley showed his willingness to become an approver in this case and the court had allowed his application but had posted the court proceedings to February 8, 2016.
According to Headley’s plea agreement he would not be handed over to India but since he is deposing as a witness and due to time difference this could be the first time that such an application for change of court timings has been made for a criminal trial involving a foreign national.
