Hyderabad blasts accused Yasin Bhatkal convicted by special NIA court
National Investigation Agency to seek death for Yasin Bhatkal, 4 others.
Hyderabad: A special National Investigation Agency court on Tuesday convicted Indian Mujahideen operative Yasin Bhatkal and four others for their involvement in the Dilsukhnagar twin blasts.
Eighteen people were killed and more than 130 were injured in the twin blasts that rocked Dilsukhnagar on February 21, 2013. This is the first-ever conviction of banned IM cadres in a terror case.
They were convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for murder, waging war against the country, conspiracy, attempt to murder and several other criminal charges.
The judge will announce the sentences for all the accused on December 19, when the court will hear the argument of the defence counsel for the last time.
Public prosecutor V. Surender Rao said the NIA will seek capital punishment for all four. “The minimum sentence is life imprisonment and the maximum punishment is death sentence. Considering the heinous nature of the crime, we will be seeking capital punishment for the culprits,” Mr Surender Rao said.
All charges proven in court: Prosecutor
A special National Investigation Agency court on Tuesday convicted Indian Mujahideen operative Yasin Bhatkal and four others for their involvement in the Dilsukhnagar twin blasts.
Yasin Bhatkal alias Mohammed Ahmed Siddibappa from Karnataka, Asadullah Akthar from Uttar Pradesh, Zia-ur-Rahman alias Waqas from Pakistan, Tahseen Akhthar from Bihar and Aizaz Shaik from Maharashtra are the four men convicted. All of them are in judicial custody at Cherlapally Jail, where the special court was set up for the trial. The key conspirator in the case, Riyaz Bhatkal, is absconding.
The public prosecutor said that all the charges slapped against the five men have been proven in court and the court found them guilty. “After finding them guilty the court has given them a chance to argue on Monday regarding the punishment. After the arguments by both sides (defence and prosecution), the court will decide the quantum of punishment on Monday” said Mr Surender Rao.
NIA director general, Sharad Kumar called the NIA investigation “wonderful”.
“It was a wonderful investigation carried out by the team in which every piece of evidence was examined minutely. This is the first-ever conviction of Indian Mujahideen cadres, and we will be appealing for maximum punishment for the culprits,” he said.
As many as 157 witnesses witnesses were examined and a total of 486 exhibits and 173 material objects were marked as evidence. Extensive cyber forensic evidence was gathered and placed on record as evidence.