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SPP withdraws from Coimbatore blast cases: PTI

The special public prosecutor in the sensational Coimbatore serial blast cases, G Soundararajan Monday withdrew from appearing for the blast cases as the Tamil Nadu government had failed to fulfil his demands on perks and other terms on par with the Central Bureau of Investigations.

Soundararajan said that when appointed special prosecutor, the government had agreed to pay fees, travel, stay and other incidental expenses on par with that in the CBI.

The fees were fixed, as recommended by the inspector general of police, special investigation team, which probed the serial blast cases, he said.

Stating that at present Rs 2000 was fixed per sitting, Soundararajan said he had sent an ultimatum on August 21 to the government indicating his unwillingness to continue in his post beyond August-end, as it had failed to revise the remuneration on par with the CBI.

However, on the assurance from the home secretary, he decided to continue in the post till August 31. The matter was referred to the state public prosecutor, who in turn 'failed' to issue the government order enhancing the fees to Rs 3500 per sitting, Soundararajan alleged.

''Despite this, I appeared for two more days, in the hope of enhancement of payment or appointment of another public prosecutor at the earliest,'' he said.

Three persons were killed and three others injured, when a bomb planted on a cycle exploded near Udumalpet bus-stand on December 3, 1997. The trial in the case had commenced on August 24 last and eight out of 107 witnesses had been examined.

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