Mumbai, Nov. 4 -- Nearly 35 years after the infamous JJ Hospital shootout, in which gangster Shailesh Haldankar, another patient, and two on-duty constables were shot dead, a special court on Tuesday rejected the fourth bail application of Mohd Farooque Yasin Mansoor (65), who has spent over eight years in custody in the case, while directing that the trial be held twice a week to ensure its expeditious conclusion.

Special judge Satyanarayan Navander acknowledged that Mansoor's prolonged incarceration raised serious concerns over his constitutional right to a speedy trial, but held that the circumstances did not warrant his release.

The case relates to the September 12, 1992 shootout at the state-run Sir JJ Hospital. According to the pr...