State \\\'mistake\\\' impedes trial of Ramna blast case

A gross mistake by the stateside in placing the documentary evidence in the court has stood in the way of disposing of the Ramna Batamul blast case, already pending for 13 years. The case is now pending with the 2nd Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s court, Dhaka. In the wake of an application by the state, the court has recently recalled the investigation officer (IO) of the case as the mistake done by the stateside during the testimony which was detected by the defence counsel, according to sources at the court. The mistake came in the limelight when IO Abu Hena M Yusuf on March 24 last year submitted a sketch-map of a house located in Dhaka city’s Mohammadpur area, where the accused made the plot of the bomb blast. But the map was not identified before the court as exhibit, the sources said. During the defence arguments, it was found that the evidence chapter was closed without submitting the sketch-map due to mistake of the state prosecutors. As a result, the stateside had to make an appeal to the court of Judge Ruhul Amin seeking to provide further testimony of its witness fearing that the state might lose the legal battle. On April 14, 2001, a dozen people were killed and many others injured in a powerful blast during the traditional celebrations of Bangla New Year at the Ramna Batamul, according to UNB.