MADRAS (PTI): Even after five months of in-camera proceedings in the much awaited Rajiv Gandhi assassination trial at the high-security suburban Poonam a lice prison the case has not picked up the expected momentum and on the other hand has considerably slowed down causing apprehensions about its completion in one year as targeted
Informal discussions with both the prosecution and the defence advocates on the pace of the trail revealed that in all these five months only 52 witnesses were examined and the prosecution still has to line up at least 500 or more Witnesses of the total 1014 before the trial proceedings could be formally closed.
The pace at which the trial is going I think it would take more than two years said one of the exasperated defence lawyers stating that the delay was mainly due to prolonged cross examination of witnesses by a battery of about 10 defence lawyers.
After over six months of grueling pre-trial proceedings the trial began in right earnest on January 19 last with both the prosecution and the defence lawyers briskly disposing of the early witnesses. But in the later months the trial fell behind schedule with each of the 10 defence lawyers insisting on Separate witness examination resulting in delay in the proceedings.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 8, 1994
