The defence lawyer of Himayat Baig, the lone convict in the German Bakery blast case, has claimed before the Bombay high court that the investigating agency arrested Baig in 2010 and panchnamas were also prepared in 2010 but the printing dates on these documents are 2011, which shows that the agency created false evidence against Baig.
Defence lawyer Mehmood Pracha is making his arguments before the division bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice S.B. Shukre, which is hearing the appeal filed by Baig against his conviction and death sentence as well as appeal filed by the state government for confirmation of death sentence.
During his arguments Mr Pracha last week had pointed out to the court that Baig was arrested in September 2010 and in the same month the police claimed to have recovered RDX on his instance but if the documents related to these recoveries are examined properly it is seen that the papers which were used to draw panchnamas were printed in 2011.
He also claimed that Baig was kept in custody illegally. Currently, Mr Pracha in his arguments is pointing out discrepancies in the documents submitted by the investigating agency.
When the high court started hearing the appeal, the defence wanted to start arguments but the bench asked the special public prosecutor Raja Thakre to commence his arguments first because as per rule, the application for confirmation of conviction and sentence is heard before the appeal against the conviction.
Former journalist Ashish Khetan has also filed an intervention application in this matter and is seeking examination of a few witnesses in this matter.
Though he had requested the court to first hear his intervention application, the bench did not allow his demand saying that the court could not hear an intervention application before the main petitions. His application will be heard after the defence completes its arguments.
