Parties in the case of Thakor Hari Punja yesterday clashed over costs, each urging the Magistrates’ Court to impose $5000 against the other.
Magistrate Yogesh Prasad had listed the matter for hearing on Mr Punja’s application under Section 290(d) of the Criminal Procedure Act.
Mr Punja faces three counts of unlawful possession of illicit drugs, including 0.841 grams of methamphetamine on May 11, 2024. It’s also alleged that on the same occasion, he possessed 5.447 grams of cocaine and 16.6 grams of cannabis.
Meanwhile, the hearing did not proceed after senior State lawyer Eoghn Samisoni filed his submissions in court, which defence lawyer Iqbal Khan described as a delay of more than 35 days.
Mr Khan told the court that since October 23, and despite repeated court orders, the State had failed to file its submissions with no apology or explanation provided.
One of the remedies he sought was for the State’s submissions to be disregarded, for the court to rule solely on the defence submissions when making its ruling on Section 290 (d) and for costs of $5000 to be imposed against the State.
He submitted the matter was of serious concern and called on the court to “put its foot down.”
In response, Mr Samisoni said the delay was an oversight and argued that the defence’s Section 290 application filed during the voir dire hearing was itself a delaying tactic.
He opposed the request for costs and instead sought $5000 against the defence, submitting that the voir dire hearing had been vacated without explanation.
Mr Samisoni further alleged the defence relied on ChatGPT instead of Police Standing Orders, claiming that answers were copied and pasted into two disclosures.
Addressing the alleged delay, Mr Samisoni said the defence application itself was filed one year and three months out of time, and he asked the court to dismiss the application and fix another trial date.
Mr Prasad vacated the hearing and adjourned the application to February 4, 2026, ordering that no cost be imposed on either party.
Mr Punja’s bail has been extended until then.
