The counsel for the accused refused to begin the final arguments in the case stating that they have not been given the copies of evidence recorded by the court in the case.
The defence counsel also pleaded before Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Vinod Goel that their petition seeking quashing of the trial against the accused in the 1975 murder case of Mishra is being heard in the Supreme Court and the next date of hearing is July 31.
They urged the court that the matter be taken for final arguments after July 31.
Advocate Ranjan Dwivedi, 65, an accused in the case was exempted from personal appearance for today while the other three accused Santoshanand Avadhuta, Sudevananda Avadhuta and Gopalji were present in the court.
Mishra was killed in a bomb blast at a function at Samastipur Railway station in Bihar on January 3, 1975, and Dwivedi, who was 24-year-old at that time, was named an accused along with three Ananda Margi members, one of whom has died.
Advocate Firoz Ahmed, appearing for Sudevananda submitted that they have already applied for the certified copies of the statements of witnesses as evidence, recorded in the court, but have not received the documents as yet.
He argued that without going through the statements of the witnesses, they cannot start final arguments. (MORE)