Baig breaks down in court

Court gives Anti-Terrorism Squad two weeks to appoint special public prosecutor in German Bakery blast case

German Bakery blast accused Himayat Inayat Mirza Baig (29) broke down in court yesterday. His counsel said this could be because it was the first time he got a chance to meet his elder brother and his brother-in-law after his arrest on September 7.

His elder brother Mirza Tariq Baig (32) and his brother-in-law met him for five minutes with the court's permission.

Baig was produced before Special Judge Usha Thackeray at 11.30 am. Thackeray gave the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) two weeks to appoint a special public prosecutor (SPP) in the case. The ATS had sought three weeks.

The prosecution had requested the court not to frame charges against Baig until an SPP was appointed. The ATS had filed a chargesheet against Baig on December 4 and Additional Sessions Judge Thackeray was appointed special judge in the case.u00a0

The court also granted permission to Abdul Rahman, Baig's lawyer, to inspect the German Bakery in Koregaon Park. The court directed Assistant Commissioner of Police Vinod Satav, who is the chief investigating officer in the case, to depute a police constable at the time of Rahman's visit to the bakery.

Rahman said the court would decide on December 18 about the application for religious books, Marathi newspapers and clothes for Baig, who is lodged in a secluded cell, after getting the jailer's say on it."