Mumbai's Vision_Front (Edited)

1
5 September 2015 Community Daily Thursday Mumbai | Rs. 2 | www.mumbaivision.com | Sensex 26145 | Nifty 7948 | Gold 27529 | Silver 34610 | Dollar 65.6 | 4 Pages 7/11: A Judgement Of Life And Death T he special judge took a deep breath - and 10 minutes - before he completed pronouncing the judgment in the 7/11 blasts case. Five planters were sentenced to be "hanged till death" and the remaining seven were awarded life in jail. Seven coordinated blasts in first class compart- ments of seven local trains during the evening peak time in 2006 had killed 189 and left 819 in- jured, many of whom were crippled for life. As the court session got under way around 12 noon on Wednesday, he called out the names of the five planters. Kamal Ansari, Faisal Shaikh, Ehtesham Siddiqui, Naveed Hussain and Asif Khan sitting at the back in the dock meant for ac- cused promptly stood up. The judge then read out the sections under which they were held guilty and said 'to be hanged till they are dead.' The judge then called out the names of the remaining convicts. It was the turn of Majid Shafi, Sohail Shaikh, Za- meer Khan and Muzzamil Shaikh to stand up. The judge read out the sec- tions, almost in a hurry, under which they had been found guilty and sentenced them to life im- prisonment. They were also charged of Rs. 2.5 crores. Usually, an accused is called in the witness box where charges under which they have been found guilty and have been acquitted are ex- plained to them along with all the legal remedies available to them, includ- ing approaching the high court and the judiciary's ability to provide them with legal aid if they are unable to pay. The court then tells them their quan- tum of punishment in whichever language they understand. However, in this case the judge simply read out the charges. Left almost confused after the verdict the convicts huddled around their lawyers asking them to 'explain' what had just happened. Only the Judge, court staff, the convicts, and a battery of lawyers and po- lice personnel were al- lowed inside the court. There were restrictions on the number of media personnel. Family mem- bers of the convicts were denied entry into the courtroom. After this the convicts, judge, court staff, the con- victs were allowed to lead evidence to show that they can be reformed. The prosecution, how- ever, sought capital pun- ishment for eight out of the 12 convicts calling them "merchants of death" and sought life im- prisonment for the other four. 5 Awarded Death; 7 Granted Life Quantico Act Wins Raves HOMEGIRL PRIYANKA MAKING US PROUD p4 NIGHTMARE FOR COUPLES HELD IN MADH RAIDS NOT OVER YET Police officers bom- bard each with calls asking them to record statements; threaten to send letters home if they don't comply Learning nothing from the widespread criticism they faced in August for randomly rounding up couples from some Madh island hotels, the Mumbai cops have begun calling the same men and women again. The couples have been receiving calls almost every day and they are being told that a pre- scribed format for their statement is ready and all they have to do is sign the paper. Obama,Putin spar over Syria in duelling speeches p3

Transcript of Mumbai's Vision_Front (Edited)

Page 1: Mumbai's Vision_Front (Edited)

Mumbai’s Vision55 SSeepptteemmbbeerr 22001155 CCoommmmuunniittyy DDaaiillyyTThhuurrssddaayy

Mumbai | Rs. 2 | www.mumbaivision.com | Sensex 26145 | Nifty 7948 | Gold 27529 | Silver 34610 | Dollar 65.6 | 4 Pages

7/11: A Judgement Of Life And Death

The special judge tooka deep breath - and

10 minutes - before hecompleted pronouncingthe judgment in the 7/11blasts case. Five planterswere sentenced to be"hanged till death" andthe remaining seven wereawarded life in jail. Seven coordinated blastsin first class compart-ments of seven localtrains during the eveningpeak time in 2006 hadkilled 189 and left 819 in-jured, many of whomwere crippled for life. As the court session gotunder way around 12noon on Wednesday, hecalled out the names ofthe five planters. KamalAnsari, Faisal Shaikh,Ehtesham Siddiqui,Naveed Hussain and Asif

Khan sitting at the back inthe dock meant for ac-cused promptly stood up. The judge then read outthe sections under whichthey were held guilty andsaid 'to be hanged till theyare dead.' The judge thencalled out the names ofthe remaining convicts. Itwas the turn of MajidShafi, Sohail Shaikh, Za-meer Khan and MuzzamilShaikh to stand up. Thejudge read out the sec-tions, almost in a hurry,under which they hadbeen found guilty andsentenced them to life im-prisonment. They werealso charged of Rs. 2.5crores.Usually, an accused iscalled in the witness boxwhere charges underwhich they have been

found guilty and havebeen acquitted are ex-plained to them alongwith all the legal remediesavailable to them, includ-ing approaching the highcourt and the judiciary'sability to provide themwith legal aid if they areunable to pay. The courtthen tells them their quan-tum of punishment inwhichever language theyunderstand. However, inthis case the judge simplyread out the charges. Left almost confused afterthe verdict the convictshuddled around theirlawyers asking them to'explain' what had justhappened. Only the Judge, court

staff, the convicts, and abattery of lawyers and po-lice personnel were al-lowed inside the court.There were restrictionson the number of mediapersonnel. Family mem-bers of the convicts weredenied entry into thecourtroom. After this the convicts,judge, court staff, the con-victs were allowed to leadevidence to show thatthey can be reformed.The prosecution, how-ever, sought capital pun-ishment for eight out ofthe 12 convicts callingthem "merchants ofdeath" and sought life im-prisonment for the otherfour.

5 Awarded Death; 7 Granted Life

Quantico Act Wins Raves HOMEGIRLPRIYANKAMAKING USPROUD p4

NIGHTMAREFOR COUPLESHELD IN MADHRAIDS NOTOVER YETPolice officers bom-bard each with callsasking them to recordstatements; threaten tosend letters home ifthey don't complyLearning nothing fromthe widespread criticismthey faced in August forrandomly rounding upcouples from some Madhisland hotels, the Mumbaicops have begun callingthe same men andwomen again.The couples have beenreceiving calls almostevery day and they arebeing told that a pre-scribed format for theirstatement is ready and allthey have to do is signthe paper.

Obama,Putinspar overSyria in duellingspeeches p3