India will soon ask Pakistan to depose its 13 witnesses before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court for the trial of the Samjhauta Express 2007 blast that killed 68 people, an Indian newspaper said.
Pakistan had earlier asked India in March to send 24 witnesses to depose before an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad for the Mumbai terror attack 2011 trial.
Based on a request from the NIA, a Haryana court will send summons to 13 key Pakistani witnesses in the train blast case in which Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Swami Aseemanand is a key accused.
The official said the trial had entered its last phase and more than 200 witnesses had been examined. The Pakistani witnesses include the ones injured in the blast and relatives of those killed.
He added that the government was looking into two options. The first would be to record the statement of the witnesses at the special NIA court in Panchkula where the case is being heard. The second would be to create a makeshift court at the Wagah-Attari border.
“We have to factor in the security of the witnesses also. Instead of making them travel to Panchkula via Delhi, we are looking at making arrangements at the India-Pakistan border for their convenience,” said the official.
The official said that permission will have to be sought from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to set up the makeshift court.
“There are 299 witnesses in the case and 212 have been examined so far. There are 14 who have turned hostile. As the trial enters its last phase, it is imperative for the Pakistani witnesses to come and depose here, this will help the prosecution’s case,” said the official.
Aseemanand has already been granted bail in Samjhauta case but remains in judicial custody due to involvement in other blast cases.
The NIA did not challenge his bail petition.
Pakistan has repeatedly raised the issue of Samjhauta blast at diplomatic levels and has blamed India for going soft against the accused.