The judge also ordered that both the cases be transferred to the District and Sessions Court at Thane for trial of the seven accused under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act.

The orders come in the wake of a petition moved by the defence counsels Harshad Nimbalkar, Shrikant Shivade and P D Sawarkar praying to the court that the TADA charges against Pappu Kalani, Narendra Ramsinghani, Mohammed Arshad Taher Shaikh, Kimmat Kalani, Shyam Kishore Garikapatti, Richard Robert Fernandes and Ramchandra Bacchi alias Shitala Prasad Pande should be dropped.

Ghanashyam Sundardas Bhateja was gunned down on the road in front of Hotel Pinto Park at Ulhasnagar on the morning of February 27, 1990. Inder Bhateja, whohad been provided police protection, was shot dead at the office of his Anant Production Burners factory at Ulhasnagar on the afternoon of April 27, 1990.

Pappu Kalani was slapped with the charges of killing Ghanashyam and Inder Bhateja in 1992. His six associates were also arrested later on. They were charged with murder and criminal conspiracy under the IPC as well as relevant sections of the Arms Act and the TADA.