A Supreme Court judge Justice U U Lalit today recused from hearing a plea against removal of Special Public Prosecutor by NIA in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case, saying that he had represented certain accused in the matter.
The prosecutor had recently stirred a controversy by alleging that an officer of NIA had told her to go soft on the accused, a charge denied by the agency.
While refusing himself from hearing the case, Justice U U Lalit said that he represented certain accused in the matter.
The bench, headed by Justice FMI Kalifulla, then said that let the matter be listed before the Chief Justice of India who, in turn, will allocate it to another bench.
Senior Advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for Harsh Mander who had filed the PIL, said that she had no objection if the present bench decides to hear the matter.
The court, however, declined the plea.
The PIL has accused the NDA government of trying to interfere with the functioning of the prosecutor in the case by exerting pressure on the prosecutor to go soft on the accused.
It alleged that the executive was attempting to influence the judicial system..