Karnataka High Court Fines Accused Doctor in Bengaluru Terror Plot Case for Delaying Proceedings

The Karnataka High Court has imposed a fine of ₹10,000 on Dr. Sabeel Ahmed, also known as “Motu Doctor,” for attempting to delay legal proceedings in the 2012 Bengaluru terror plot case. Dr. Ahmed, who is listed as Accused No. 21, had filed applications aimed at postponing court proceedings, leading the High Court to label his actions as an abuse of the judicial process.

The case pertains to an order issued by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court on May 27, 2024, which directed Dr. Ahmed to pay ₹20,650 as travel and dearness allowances to a key prosecution witness. The witness, a scientist from the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Thiruvananthapuram, had testified in court on February 15, 2024.

Dr. Ahmed and another co-accused had sought additional time on two occasions to cross-examine the witness. On March 19, 2024, the trial court allowed cross-examination to proceed on April 5, 2024, provided the travel expenses of the witness were paid by the accused. The prosecution calculated the total travel allowance to be ₹20,650 and submitted the amount for approval.

Subsequently, Dr. Ahmed filed an application under Rule 4(3) of the Karnataka Payment by Government of Expenses of Complainants and Witnesses (Attending Criminal Courts) Rules, 1967, arguing that the allowances had been overestimated. The application was rejected by the trial court, prompting Dr. Ahmed to challenge the decision in the High Court.

The division bench comprising Justice K.S. Mudagal and Justice Vijayakumar A. Patil reviewed the matter and criticized the repeated summoning of the witness, noting that it disrupted his professional responsibilities and wasted public resources. The court emphasized that the petitioner’s challenge was baseless, especially since another accused in the case (Accused No. 24) had accepted the trial court’s order without dispute.

The High Court dismissed the petition, ordering Dr. Ahmed to pay the ₹10,000 fine to the District Legal Services Authority, Bengaluru Urban, within 10 days. Additionally, the court instructed him to deposit the ₹20,650 travel allowance with the witness within the same period. Failure to comply with either directive, the court warned, would result in the forfeiture of his right to cross-examine the witness.

The prosecution, represented by Special Public Prosecutor P. Prasanna Kumar, had earlier argued that the accused were employing delay tactics to prolong the proceedings. The witness, a scientist, had reportedly been summoned multiple times due to these tactics, causing disruptions to his professional commitments.

Dr. Sabeel Ahmed, a Bengaluru resident, is accused of raising funds and offering logistical support to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) for its operations. His alleged activities include organizing events in Riyadh targeting prominent Hindu leaders and police officials in Karnataka.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Ankur Deka/MSM)