SC to consider Maudany's plea for joint trial on November 4

Supreme Court today said it would next month hear a plea to club all terror cases pending against Abdul Nazir Maudany, a leader of Kerala-based Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and prime accused in the 2008 Bangalore serial bomb blasts cases.
A bench comprising Justices J Chelameswar and A M Sapre said it would first examine the legal provisions and then decide whether to conduct a joint trial or not.
"Let us be clear of the legal provisions first...List the matter on November 4," the bench said.
During the hearing, advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Maudany, said there were 254 common witnesses in nine cases lodged in 2008 and sought joint trial for all cases.

Senior advocate Raju Ramachandran opposed this submission and said he should approach the trial court first. "Let the trial court apply its mind. The same exercise can be done there. He should go there first instead of coming here first."
Maudany is the prime accused in the Bangalore serial blasts of July 25, 2008, when nine bombs had exploded in the city killing two people and injuring 20 others.
In July last year, the court had granted one-month bail to Maudany on health grounds.
The court had also said the Karnataka government was at liberty to take all steps to ensure that he does not get in touch with witnesses in the case, including putting him under surveillance.