Tuesday, December 13 2005 14:57 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The trial in May 22 cinema blasts, in which Babbar Khalsa militant Jagtar Singh Hawara and seven others are accused, was today (Dec 13, 2005) transferred to a Sessions court which will begin hearing on January 20.

The court would hear the case against all accused except Hawara as he is lodged in Chandigarh where he is facing day-to-day trial in the murder case of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and the Burail jail break cases.

The case was committed by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate to an Additional Sessions Judge's court as sections under which the accused is charged, including waging war against the country and murder, are triable by a sessions' court.

Hawara's accomplices are; Jaspal Singh, Jagannath Yadav, Balvinder, Vikas Sehgal, Ajit Raj, Bishan Lal and Joginder Kumar. The sessions' court would commence hearing arguments on framing of charges against them on January 20.

Police had in September filed chargesheets against the accused in connection with the explosion at Liberty and Satyam cinemas in which one person was killed and 55 injured.

They have also been charged under section 122 (collecting arms for waging war) 123 (concealment of intention to wage war) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC. All the accused have also been accused of offences under Explosives Act, Arms Act and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

Police, which had filed separate FIRs in the two blasts, had filed the chargesheet against all these accused in the Satyam blast case on August 27.

The explosions in the two cinema halls in Central Delhi, occurred in quick succession during screening of controversial Sunny Deol-starrer 'Jo Bole So Nihal'.