MANGALORE: The persistent efforts of the Fast Track Court finally yielded results with ‘Cyanide’ Mohan Kumar deciding to engage an advocate to defend him in the cases accusing him of murdering women. Deposing before the Fast Track Court Judge Ninganna Gowda Jantli on Monday, Mohan nodded his head in approval on whether he was appointing an advocate to defend him. Nearly 20 charge-sheets have been filed in the Fast Track Court and other courts accusing Mohan of forcing women to consume cyanide tablets and later robbing them.
On whether the advocate would represent him in the next hearing scheduled from Tuesday onwards, Mohan replied in the affirmative, without revealing the name of the advocate. With the trial into the case resuming on Monday, the statements of witnesses for the first time were not recorded.
Furnishing reasons for the absence of all crucial witnesses, special public prosecutor Cheyabba Bear told the Fast Track Court that Mohammed, a common witness in almost six cases, had expressed his inability to attend the hearing.
Two others scientists had sought permission to appear before the Court on February 2, as they were involved in setting up laboratories in Gulbarga.
The third witness Dr Kumar, however, had promised to attend the hearing scheduled on January 24.