MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Friday granted three months extension to a lower court for completing trial in Sathankulam custodial death case.
The court while disposing of a petition filed by Selvarani, one of the victims' wife, had earlier directed the trial court to complete the trial in the case within six months. Subsequently, the court on two other occasions granted an extension of time for completing the trial. Since the trial, in this case, is yet to be completed, the case was listed under the caption 'extension of time for lower court' before the court on Friday.
During the course of the hearing, the special public prosecutor appearing for CBI submitted that 47 out of 132 witnesses have been examined. The prosecution has proposed to examine only eight more witnesses, including two AIIMS doctors, a magistrate, CB-CID investigating officer, CBI investigating officer, and three others. Hence, he sought an extension of time to complete the trial in this case.
Taking cognizance of the submissions, Justice K Murali Shankar took note of the fact that since the post of presiding officer (judge) of I additional district court in Madurai is vacant, the additional district judge for CBI cases has been examining the witnesses. Hence, the judge granted an extension of time by three more months from the date on which a new presiding officer assumes charge of the additional district court for completing the case trial.