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Three-judge SC bench to hear appeals in Rajiv assassination case

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court will hear the death reference and five appeals in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case on September 15.

The hearing was fixed today by a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice M M Punchhi, Justices M Srinivasan and S Rajendra Babu. All the 26 accused in the Rajiv assassination case were awarded capital punishment by a Madras special court.

Earlier the court declined to grant eight weeks time to the prosecution to enable it to cross-check the English version of the 92 volumes of the record and to prepare the arguments in the case.

The chief justice observed, ''We are keen that the hearing starts as early as possible since 26 convicts were involved in the case.''

The chief justice therefore advised Additional Solicitor General Altaf Ahmad to approach the three-judge bench itself if he had any problems.

This three-judge bench could alone be competent to issue any further directions on the hearing schedule, the chief justice added.

UNI

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