TADA judge rejects SC reference plea, convicts to appeal

The special court conducting the trial of the 1993 serial blasts case on Thursday rejected a plea by 16 convicts who said that the matter should be referred to the Supreme Court on the issue of the validity of the TADA Act.

However, the applicants now want to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the ruling by the court of Judge P D Kode.

They have also filed another application seeking a stay on the pronouncement of their sentences, which will be heard by the TADA court on Friday.

Judge Kode has so far sentenced 76 of the 100 convicts in the case.

Sixteen of the remaining convicts filed an application on June 17 for referring the matter to the Supreme Court, arguing that a May 18 judgement by the apex court had questioned the constitutional validity of the Terrorist And Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act.