NEW DELHI, Jan 21:
Delhi High Court today sought CBI’s response on bail pleas moved by two convicts, facing life term along with two others for killing former Railway Minister L N Mishra nearly 40 years ago.
A bench of Justices G S Sistani and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal issued notice to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on convicts Santoshanand Avdhoot and Gopalji’s pleas directing the agency to file status report before February 18.
“Notice issued,” the bench said, adding that the agency should file a comprehensive report before the next date of hearing.
The notice was issued to CBI on the duo’s bail pleas, seeking suspension of their conviction and sentence during pendency of their appeals against the trial court order of December 18 last year.
The trial court had awarded life term to three Ananda Margis – Santoshanand, Sudevanand and Gopalji – and advocate Ranjan Dwivedi for killing Mishra and two others in a blast at Bihar’s Samastipur railway station on January 2, 1975, a few months before the proclamation of Emergency.
They were held guilty for the offences under section 302 (murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon or means), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.
The trial court had also imposed a fine of varied amount of Rs 25,000 and Rs 20,000 on them and directed the Bihar Government to pay Rs five lakh each to Mishra’s legal heirs and two other victims who had died in the incident.
75-year-old Santoshanand sought suspension of his sentence, saying the trial court order was too harsh and the prosecution has failed to show any evidence in the nearly 40- year-old case.
The other convict, 72-year-old Gopalji sought leniency on medical grounds claiming he was suffering from an illness which required life long medication. The two convicts in their bail pleas said that they have deep roots in the society, the court should grant them bail imposing conditions it deems fit. (PTI)
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