India, April 18 -- The Bombay high court has extended up to August 31 the tenure of judge AK Lahoti, who is presiding over the 2008 Malegaon bomb blasts case trial, which has now reached its final stage. The concluding arguments in the case have been made, and Lahoti is expected to pronounce the verdict in a month or two.

In April, the high court registry had issued a notification naming special sessions judge Lahoti in the annual general transfer list. He was supposed to take charge at his new station in Nashik by June 9. The notification also directed the transferred judges to finish the judgments in cases where the hearings had already concluded.

However, the high court administration has now decided to extend Lahoti's tenure in Mumb...