7/11 blasts:Service providers put Rs 34 lakh price tag on CDRs

The accused facing trial in the 2006 suburban train blasts will have to cough up Rs 34 lakh to four telecom companies if they want to obtain call data records from mobile service providers. Vodafone, Loop, Airtel and Tata have filed separate applications before the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) court seeking direction to the accused to pay Rs 34 lakh collectively if they want access to these records. The 13 accused had sought the production of the CDRs before the special MCOCA court as the Maharashtra ATS had not annexed them in the chargesheet. However, the special court rejected their prayer, following which they moved Bombay High Court. The accused had contented that they were not present at the blast sites. The high court in December last had directed the special court to examine whether the CDRs can be recovered and to reconsider the prayer of the accused. In their applications, the four companies have said that the process could take three months as it includes identification of old tapes, extraction and retrieval of data. The collective cost for the process is round Rs 34.10 lakh, according to the petitioners. Defence lawyers will file their reply tomorrow. 188 people had been killed and 817 others injured when seven RDX bombs kept in the first class coaches of suburban trains exploded on July 11, 2006. The explosions occurred between Khar road -Santacruz, Bandra Khar road, Jogeshwari-Mahim Junction, Mira road - Bhayander, Matunga - Mahim Junction and Borivili. (More)