Siddiqui trial: Court allows ATS to conceal names of witnesses

A Magistrate’s court on Tuesday allowed the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) to conceal names of the witnesses who would be involved in the identification parade of Mohammad Qateel Mohammad Jafir Siddiqui,who allegedly tried to plant a bomb outside Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapti Temple.

The ATS had on Monday requested the court not to reveal names of the witnesses under section 44 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act,2004 for their security. Siddiqui’s lawyers,A Rehman and Kaynat Ali Shaikh,opposed the ATS plea,stating that only the witnesses themselves or the public prosecutor could request the court to do so,while in this case,the investigating officer (IO) Samad Shaikh had tendered the application to conceal witnesses’ names. They added that Siddiqui was in jail and hence there was no threat to the lives of the witnesses.

The court,however,allowed the request of the ATS. The identification parade of Siddiqui is likely to take place next week before his magisterial custody ends on June 8.