Guwahati, Feb. 28: The trial of the October 30, 2008, serial blast case, finally, began today in the court of the Kamrup district sessions judge here.

The court of the sessions judge today accepted the CBI case (2255/2009), which was referred to it by the court of special judicial magistrate on February 17 to begin the trial.

All the 12 accused who are behind bars — including the then NDFB chief Ranjan Daimary, and his deputy George Boro — were produced in the court for trial.

The counsel of the accused, Manas Sarania, said the court of Kamrup district sessions judge registered the case (59 (K)/ 2011) and referred to the court of additional sessions judge, Minakshi Rongpi, for the trial and framing of charges against the accused. “As the case was referred to the district sessions judge court, it was newly registered and all the 12 accused who are in jail attended the court today,” Sarania said.

The court after accepting the case fixed March 14 as the next date of hearing, Sarania said.

Sarania said another accused in the case, Mathuram Brahma alias Mudoi, who was arrested along with four other NDFB cadres from Meghalaya recently, and is in CBI custody will be produced in the court after expiry of his CBI remand on Tuesday.

The CBI, in its two chargesheets, had named 22 militants belonging to the NDFB, which, it said, had masterminded the attacks.

CBI records state that the nine bomb blasts, spread over Guwahati, Kokrajhar, Barpeta Road and Bongaigaon, had left 88 dead and 540 injured.

Of the 88 dead, 53 were killed in three blasts in Guwahati, 20 in three blasts in Kokrajhar and 15 in two blasts in Barpeta Road. No one died in the Bongaigaon blast.

The CBI booked the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Explosive Substances Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.