In a major twist, 14 witnesses turn hostile
HYDERABAD: Delay in collection and production of evidences and 14 prime witnesses turning hostile has diluted the case of the suicide bombing of the task force office at Begumpet in 2005.
While giving judgement in the case on Thursday, the court said the prosecution has failed in faster collection and production of evidence with the Forensic Sciences Laboratory, which is one of the reasons that led to the acquittal in the case.
The then SIT ACP Diwakar and his team had collected 102 material objects from various places, including the explosion site, and listed 86 witnesses during the course of investigation.The accused were all booked under Sections 302, 153 A, 120 B of IPC, Sections 16, 18, 19, 20 of UAPA, Sections 3 and 5 of Explosive Substances Act and also Sections 25 and 27 of Indian Arms Act.
However, only 58 witnesses turned up during the trial, among which 14 prime witnesses turned hostile. “The 14 witnesses, mostly relatives of the accused, turned hostile. They told the court that they could not identify the accused,” said additional public prosecutor P Shailaja.Meanwhile, Detective department DCP Avinash Mohanty on Thursday said, “We will take legal opinion on the judgement and try to go for an appeal at the higher court.”