Mumbai: A top Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) officer would on June 16 depose before a special court to throw light on the alleged role played by the bomb blast accused Ejaz Pathan in the conspiracy hatched by Dawood Ibrahim and others that led to a chain of explosions in Mumbai ten years ago.

O P Chhatwal, Superintendent of Police, had recorded Pathan's statement after his deportation from Dubai recently.

Pathan had allegedly confessed his role in the 1993 bomb blast conspiracy. However, the accused withdrew his statement of confession after a few days saying it was not voluntary.

The deposition of the CBI officer would be very crucial because the confession of an accused has to be voluntary. If it was under duress, then his statement would not be regarded as a confession, defence lawyer Abbas Kazmi said.

Chhatwal is the chief investigating officer in this case and has been involved with the investigations since inception.

Earlier, three immigration officers deposed in regard to evidence against Pathan. They had confronted Pathan at the airport on his deportation from Dubai.

On May 28, the court had rejected Pathan's plea to recall all the 684 witnesses on the ground that he had no legal right to summon them as he was absconding since last ten years when the evidence was being led by CBI.

CBI has charged Pathan with participating in a conspiracy meeting called by underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in Dubai prior to the bomb blasts on March 12, 1993. In this meeting, plans were hatched by the accused to send arms and ammunition to India and distribute them to commit terrorist acts in Mumbai and elsewhere, CBI alleged.

Meanwhile, a special court has summoned 85 accused in the 1993 bomb blast case to appear onJune16 and reserved its order on joining co-accused Mustaffa Majnu in the trial.

The court has, however, exempted actor Sanjay Dutt from appearance till June end and allowed him to go abroad to perform stage shows.

About 30 accused, lodged in central prison, would also be produced before the court of designated judge P D Kode.

PTI